[DC] Raven Lunacy (OC in Teen Titans)

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 49

OK. Logistics. Visiting Oracle.

I'm going to leave my flesh body in a med-bed. Take my robe and Third Eye focus, because I don't have duplicates of those. I'll take the translator, and a standard anti-possession amulet, just-in-case. That and a medi scanner, with fully-charged, and backup, 'batteries', should cover most things.

A smooth move from flesh to flesh-covered robotics. I was pretty sure that would work. But, I feel a little weak, and clumsy. Climb out of the med-bed.

Loot the body! (Dad's friend taught me that.)

Ow. Static? "Nurse? What was that?"

Nurf looks over, from where she's sitting, reading a novel. Avatar Nurf speaks.

"Life energies fluctuated, then stabilised. No obvious health issues. One of your 'chi' things?"

Actually... I feel better. Back to full strength, and, my reflexes seem improved. A little Tai Chi. All seems good. Hmm.

Yes, I can levitate. Pale-blue aura, chi-reach out, pick-up a medi scanner. Funny, I've not tried to use chi in a robot body before. I'd expect some issues...

"Are you sure my human body is OK?"

"All readings nominal. Same readings as when you last pulled a body jump. Don't ask me about chi, you know that's not something I understand. However, I'd suggest you be cautious."

Let's be thorough.

Meditate. Open my Third Eye. That... feels a little strange. My flesh body looks OK, no spirit, obviously, but the anti-possession amulet looks its normal sneaky self. Chi looks a bit low, but, is slowly climbing back up. Tech, nothing unusual. I can see the flows Nurse is using to monitor currently not-me. Magic... Obviously, no robe. Flows look good.

Wait a minute... I look closer. My protective chi-coat, just below my skin. It's gone. What?

Then, I look down, at my robot arm. The chi-coat is there, but, maybe, a little brighter than usual. Tied to my robe, and... yes, there're delicate spirit flows to the amulet on my human body. Interesting.

Certainly worth investigating.

But, later.

---

D-walking is OK, but I've already done that with a 'naked' robot, so hardly surprising. Finding Oracle...

My astral form was suddenly there, no navigation, no feeling of movement. Recalling Raven, people can be 'locations', if you've a strong enough connection to them. I'm a close enough friend of Oracle? Didn't realise.

I fumble around, but, no 'instant jump'. Maybe I can get a direction, if I get a bit deeper into the dimensions? Worth a try.

Try a number of routes, but they don't 'feel' right. Part of the problem, I suspect, is that I just don't know the USA well enough.

I've learned there's a dimensional layer which seems to handle Earth orbit with no need to breathe. Not too difficult to reach. From there, I can tell Oracle is in the US. East Coast.

Have I got any clues? I've not heard Oracle speak without scrambling, so nothing there. Superman, I think he's based in Metropolis, but, he doesn't have a clear accent. The doctor... I can hope he was a local. I think he had a New York accent.

There's a graunching feeling in my head, and, I realise that was a Gotham City accent. Batman is supposed to be based there, and I know both he and Robin are connected to Oracle.

I peer down at the East Coast, and I've got a feeling where Gotham City is. Let's try closer...

OK, I'm over Gotham, though still out-of-phase. I can see, but few should be able to spot me. That tower feels right. Scout around a bit. The front door looks sealed, and, I'm guessing, armoured. There's a side door, inconspicuous, with a ramp, probably good for a wheelchair. A doorbell.

Guess I'd better try...

---

Ring the bell. A delay. A distorted woman's voice from a concealed intercom. "What? It's pretty late. I didn't order anything."

"I'm sorry I don't know whom I'm addressing, but I got a phone call. Asked me to come over. I think I've got the right place."

There's a pause.

"Wait. I'll come down."

I'm pretty sure there're several weapons pointed at me. Both outside the door, and once I step inside. Look like 'murder holes', above.

Nice. Really welcoming.

A screen lights-up. "Who are you?"

"I think I'm a friend. Pressed a red button marked 'Help'. Someone in blue arranged a hospital visit. OK?"

There's a buzz, and a door opens. Yes, it's seriously armoured.

"Come in."

---

We're in a rather untidy but comfortable room. Drinking coffee. Oracle is the red-headed woman I saw previously. And, she's still in a wheelchair. Even through the protection of the robe I can tell she's got a strong grip, as she shakes my hand.

"So. You're a friend of Robin. Did he help you find my hide-away?"

"No... Finding here... I've some problem-solving skills, but I'm nothing like a detective. I didn't even know the right city. But, I used what clues I could think of, Gotham seemed likely, and once I got here I followed my nose."

"On a good day I can tell where... friends are. Seems to be part of my psychic powers."

She sips her coffee, watches me for a while.

"Do you know Gotham well?"

"No, I'm afraid not. This is my first visit. It... doesn't look like somewhere that encourages tourism."

A brief laugh. "You got that right. I'm not a great believer in psychic powers, but there's some strange talents among the super-powered. You always came across as a technical type, though. On the other hand, you did say you were Raven's apprentice, so I guess weird powers make sense."

"What do you think about robotics?"

"Bit of a strange question. Your reputation is pretty good on the subject, I know."

"I've got a reputation?"

"Didn't I tell you? No, I was going to tell you a bit later, then I... collapsed." She swallows.

"I'm training to be the team doctor. I've got access to various weird science medical gadgets. I brought one here, tonight. You can look at it, if you like?"

Carefully, slowly, I open the bag. Extract, hold-up, the medi scanner. She nods. I slowly hand it to her. She turns it over, inspects it.

"Looks hand-made. I can see tool-marks. A hatch. Battery compartment?"

"Yes. It's a medical scanner. Lets someone with the right skills diagnose problems. Even allows a detailed scan, good enough to grow a copy of a body. Accurate finger-prints, retina patterns, scars, tattoos, the lot. No nasty traps, self-destructing clones, reliable."

She raises her eyebrows. "There's people who'd kill to get something like that."

"Like I said, useless without the right training. And, far as I know, no one on this world can do that training."

"But, you've got it?"

"Yes."

"Who knows about this?"

"Raven, Cyborg, Nurse, though she's a special case, Robin, Batman I guess. They know the details. Starfire and Beast Boy know some of it. And, now, you."

"What about you? Don't you count?"

I grin. "Ah, but I'm a robot."

---

AN: Murder holes, just what you need in your hallway.

AN: Just how deep is Geo getting herself? I guess we'll see...

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 50

"You're a robot. You just sat there, drank a cup of coffee. You went white, earlier, when you looked at the murder holes. That isn't a wig, that's either living hair, or the best fake I've ever seen."

"Living flesh over a metal endo-skeleton. A quote from a film that few seem to know of in this world. Well, mostly plastic, metal's too heavy."

A disbelieving look.

"I can show you the sockets on the back of my neck? Where I can plug-in skill chips or interface cables?"

"Those can be added using surgery. There's loads of deluded fools out there that'd do that sort of thing."

I sigh. "Got a good, strong, small flash-light? A small mirror on a stick? If I roll-up the back of my shirt then you can take a look around inside me, through the maintenance seam."

---

A rather embarrassing time later, and, 'Barbara' is a lot more convinced. Yes, I've told her I'm 'Geo'. Looking inside someone, even if they're designed for it, can lead to first-name terms.

She did raise an eyebrow when she saw the knife sheathed on the back of my belt. I promised she could look at it, later.

"You didn't have to tell me that. You're a convincing enough fake that I wouldn't have guessed. So, you have an agenda. Give."

"I will do, but, didn't you promise me a look, seeing as I'm actually, physically, here this time, around your workplace?"

Grudgingly, she agrees.

---

Her 'office' is really impressive. I'd only glanced at it, before, I'd more important things to worry about. And, maybe, the sort of eyesight a spirit has... missed some of the nuances. Still haven't figured how I could hear Batman and Superman, though.

Everything at her fingertips. Computers, comms gear, like auto diallers, multiple varieties of radio, at least one satellite uplink. Fax machines, a Morse key... The lot. I think she could spot my envy. Probably, smell it.

I didn't murmur, "It's so beautiful!", at one point. Honest.

I ask permission to look around, and the queen graciously gives it. Though, I get a look when I levitate up to look at one of the higher features.

"I hope that your anti-gravity, or whatever it is, doesn't damage any of my equipment."

"Don't worry, all natural energies. More likely to make moss grow than fry anything."

"How does a robot get powers which run on natural energies?"

"Ask Robin. He kept training me till I learned it. It was either that or become a super martial artist who could walk through walls, and fly in space. Oh. I learned that later."

Not a bad incredulous look from her. I get another one when I float upside-down to look in her false floor.

"I'm not the world's best acrobat, but I picked-up a few tricks."

Though, looking at her slumped shoulders, that might not have been the wisest comment...

I ask her to explain how she does some of the more complex hacking. That cheers her up, and I think some of this is beginning to make sense to me.

Maybe she'd like to visit the Moon, some day?

But, sooner or later we run out of stuff to look at. And, float, or wheel, back to her lounge. Where, over more coffee, I have to explain myself.

The delay while I show her my knife, and my boot knives, is far too short. Though, the way she can throw my knives, hit a battered dart-board, on the far-side of the room, bullseye or near.

That was worth seeing.

---

The moment of truth.

"I don't like the way you're confined to a wheelchair. So, I asked Raven a hypothetical question, no names, no details." I take a deep breath.

"According to her a major sacrifice in someone's life can be part of gaining new abilities. And, nothing can reverse that sacrifice until a new... balance has been achieved."

She doesn't look convinced.

"I'm sure you were clever, good at solving problems, before you were... disabled. But, did you find that your new skills came remarkably easily, almost as if you were inspired, almost as if someone were whispering secrets into your ear?"

We drink some more coffee. Look at each other. Finally she speaks.

"Why? Why are you torturing me like this?"

"Because, if I believe Raven, there's something... dark, occult, about Gotham. We've seen others who've been transformed by sacrifice, become super-human. All without knowing what's going on. Something... monstrous has happened to them. But, they've survived. Become strong in new ways." I pause.

"No names, people have secrets. But, unfortunately, not all are 'good guys'. And, the powers, which often hide themselves, vary."

"Explain to me. Why robots."

"Once you've mastered your new abilities, and I'm pretty sure you have, new possibilities can open. You could have a robot, looks just like you, see through their eyes, hear through their ears, walk the streets of Gotham on their legs. All while remaining safe, here in your fortress."

She grins, in quite a nasty way. "Good try. You'll have to do better."

OK. I'll have to risk it.

"So, you won't buy the robots? Even a robot assistant to make your life easier? Right. The big one. The one you wont believe."

She cocks her head to one side.

"You don't have to remain crippled. If you want to, you can have the use of your legs back. Yes, you'll probably need to retrain, build-up muscles. But it should all be fixable."

"You still don't believe me?"

"I've had operations. The best doctors. Genius super-scientists. Nothing. Worked."

"But, that was early on? Before you'd established yourself as Oracle? You can never go back, only forwards. I learned that even before I met Raven."

She shakes her head.

"I said I was a robot. You've seen I am. Well, yes, I am at the moment. But, back at the Tower, in a med-bed. My living human body is sleeping. In one of the most advanced medical facilities in the world."

"I lay this robot, down in a bed. I stand up, from the next bed, as a human. Yes, I'm a bit of a special case, with psychic talents. But, I'm pretty sure, if you lie-down in a med-bed you could get up with working legs."

She looks at me, blank-faced.

Then, she's crying in my arms.

After a while, I'm crying too.

Will it all work out?

I hope so.

---

AN: Bit of a tear-jerker, but, sometimes they are...

AN: You might suspect that Gotham isn't a nice place...

AN: You might also suspect Raven's been talking about a certain clown-girl... And, maybe investigated who she's attached to...

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 5

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 50.

AN: This Omake is in honour of dogbertcarroll, the fanfic author, who has greatly entertained me, and undoubtedly influenced my writing.

---

Raven sighed. They thought she was stupid. Or, at least distracted. By de-cursing her apprentice.

But, she'd set wards, and sensor seines, nets hanging to catch the smallest impression. Linked to a tangle net, a trap for those trying to move in or out by any non-mundane means.

The inner nets covered the Tower, the middle ones the city, and the outer, which was sensor-only, the Earth. The knowledge from the last she only delved into given good reason - maybe her apprentice could make her one of those 'artificial intelligences' to watch that for her?

Of course, she'd set exclusions for her, her apprentice and Kory. And, Master Roshi, after the first time she'd caught him. Though, she still got reports on all passage.

And, because she wasn't a fool, all that was automatic, and powered in such a way that it didn't directly draw on her personal energies.

---

Previously she'd caught a number of demons in the city net. But, questioning them taught her little. They just knew they'd been summoned by one of her father's minions, but could give no name. A quick assay, and she either destroyed them or sent them back. She could hope that upset both her father and the minion.

She'd caught a few humans (or similar), but the way the net worked the captured were held in a timeless state. A quick check and some were 'bounced', some dropped at the city boundaries, a few she'd stored to think about later. Yes, it wasn't a nice thing to do, but, they weren't suffering, or getting any older.

Two nights ago something had tried, quite hard, to get out through the city net, but avoided being caught. She didn't recognise the type of travel, but it felt magical. After that she'd strengthened the net; it still was weak compared to the Tower one, but should stop anything but a major god.

Hopefully that'd make it quite clear that someone was being serious.

Of course, both the Tower and city boundary nets examined those who came and went by more mundane means. Again, far too much for her to check without either a specialised daemon or a golem mind, or, she should call it an 'AI'. Making daemons, yes, she could do it, but, it made her... uncomfortable.

---

Tonight she had a puzzle, Two captures, one in the city net, one, far more worrying, in the Tower one.

The Tower one was interesting, an attempt to swap the wooden remains of Puppet King, in his glass box, for a nearly identical puppet. The original was unchanged, the planned replacement had a powerful demon of possession (one of her father's, of course!) very cleverly hidden within it. Bound in such a way only specific outside magic would free it.

First solid evidence Puppet King was linked to her father's minion. Maybe.

She hoped she wasn't learning too much humility from her apprentice...

But, so far, when she thought about it carefully, used her tiny blue mirror, she just felt better balanced. And, maybe just a little wiser. Which was another victory over her father.

Real Puppet King back in his box, fake into a lead box with extra enchantments.

The other one, a (mostly) human, come a long way, across the dimensions, carried by dreams and, she thought, a twisted wish. A nice young man with a mind and spirit she liked the taste of, one she thought could grow to be a friend. But, far from where the look of his destiny said he should be.

So, far journeys.

---

Standing. In a white stone palace. Lit by source-less light. Glowing presences.

Good practice. They had immense power. But, someday, hopefully not too soon, she'd have to face her father.

"I believe this is yours."

She indicated the sleeping mortal figure, floating in her shadow, in Aquaman underroos.

Without sound, the presences conferred.

"Yes."

"And, one of your 'opposition' used time-travel to send him to another world. My home."

Hmm. Interesting I thought that rather than 'Mine'...

"Yes."

"So, I bought him back. He looked to have an important destiny."

More silent conferring.

"Yes."

"Any objections to him being returned to his home?"

"We do not like your kind. You have far too much power, and you disrupt things too much. But, yes, in this case, We, the Powers-That-Be, agree. And, We will ensure there's no more tampering with his time-line."

"Good."

And, with that, Raven returned six-year-old Xander Harris to his family home.

---

AN: Seine so you know... And, tangle net.

AN: Daemon, because you shouldn't get these things mixed up...

AN: Underoos; please keep track of your sleep-wear!

Spoiler: Those Aquaman Underoos...

Willow - "I'm Willow."
Xander - "Are you sure?"
Willow - "You know, there are other stories from kindergarten. Non-yellow crayon stories in which you don't come out in such a good light. An incident involving Aquaman Underoos, for example. Want me to start talkin'?"
Xander - (smiles, walks up to Willow/Warren) "Hey, Willow!"

Click to shrink...

From: BtVS "The Killer In Me 7.13"

AN: Xander Harris, because you really should know.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 51

"Oops."

Not, on the surface a scary word. But, under certain circumstances, rather worrying.

You may be thinking 'clothing malfunction', or pratfall. Leaving your passport behind when you go on holiday. Your bag of shopping on your car roof when you drive home from the mall. Even, shredding an old envelope then realising it contained cash.

Me, I'm thinking more a word you don't want to hear from an explosives expert. Or, someone who's employed in nuclear power.

I guess my 'oops' falls somewhere between those. More than involuntary nudity, less than 'Oh look, I'm dead'. So, no 'Darwin Award', for me, quite yet. Though, I'm unsure if those count for robots. But, really not something desirable when dealing with fundamental forces, like life and death.

I'm stuck outside my body.

---

Initially, I didn't know 'why'. Yes, I was in a robot body, but, I'd astral projected out of one before. Returned to 'the flesh'.

But... Having a good memory isn't always a blessing. That robot body wasn't covered in living flesh. There were no 'chi' issues. And, and... Now I think about it carefully, it felt 'sticky', a little difficult to leave.

From there I flashed back to my murder, on the long walk home from the world we'd fled to. That was before I learned astral projection, long before Raven summoned me to this world. My body was latex, not living, skinned. But, it shared one important characteristic. There wasn't enough on-board computing hardware to allow independent operation.

Never really understood how that worked. Somehow my living spirit was substituting for missing hardware? I was a ghost animating a machine? Or, it was one of those dimension-walking phenomena? I needed to be murdered before I could leave that body?

Reduced to pitiful, broken, scraps?

There must be a way to avoid that. I know so much more, have access to far more powerful tools, helpful, powerful, friends.

Particularly the friends.

---

Running the tests...

The Synthesiser shows exactly what I expected. All my hardware looks OK, all my systems are up-to-spec. The medi scanner capability shows my living skin is unchanged, but, that, just like the med-bay scanners, doesn't 'do' chi.

I also try the stand-alone medi scanner I took to show Oracle. As expected, the readings from that match the Synthesiser. I even stand in a build cell, let all the conventional tech tools, the ones living-skin-safe, anyway, scan me. All readings as expected.

Then, down to the med-bay. Lie in a bed. Yes, all matches up.

I know Nurse has deeper capabilities. But, for the moment, they're locked behind 'command authorisation'. And, they're the bits of her systems I trust least, being on the verge of breakdown. Leave alone, for the moment.

Unless I get really desperate.

---

Raven wasn't greatly concerned.

She pointed-out she'd stuffed Blackfire into the robot body I 'donated'. Was pretty sure she could move me back into my living body. After all, it's capability as a 'spirit house' hadn't been wrecked, as the Janus Crown had done to Blackfire.

Though, she's unsure how much brute-forcing the move might damage my robot body. Or, my chi.

That led me to my study of robo-Blackfire. The extra chips, the ones that mysteriously appeared, in her structure. They were, really, arguably, the big difference tween that and my current robot body.

Raven says she didn't realise there'd been 'hardware changes', that her magic had (just!) reshaped that body so it was 'suitable'. All this is one reason I've continued doubts about mixing magic and technology...

She took me to the Tower trophy room. Showed me the glass box with Puppet King, who was, strangely, a wooden puppet.

I could feel magic from the box, but no chi, no life-force, and didn't sense any spirit. Interesting, though, particularly the story about Titan puppets, that sucked their spirits from their bodies, and the way Raven and Starfire were seamlessly switched.

I gather Raven very, very, carefully destroyed those Titan puppets.

Raven informs me her improved defences would prevent that sort of thing happening again, unless it was backed by the power of something like a greater god. She also thinks the anti-possession amulets people carry, these days, would have at least helped.

---

Victor is interested, says it's a fascinating problem.

Though, from a selfish point of view, he's glad I discovered this before he got too invested in the living-skinned Victor-bot I built him. Thinks he can get his contact with S.T.A.R. Labs to make him another small batch of chips. This time, hopefully, with better security about the design, and who they're for.

I remind him that the chips are at least dual-purpose, useful for navigation in 3d, arguably 4d, including time. Though, the associative-memory 'holographic' storage chips are more problematic. Those could be 'sold' as experimental, futuristic, WORM computer-memory chips. Probably credible.

He agrees to give it a try, and, I promise I'll upgrade his skinned-robot, as well as this one.

---

Kory wants to know how it feels different. I have difficulty explaining it, as most of the time our minds learn to ignore details of our bodies, unless they complain. She thinks my comment about being 'less squishy' is fun, and, we laugh a bit about that.

Garfield... He just looks at me. Suggests we share a pizza. Then, says we need to test if my computer gaming skills have changed. To the lab! Well, actually, the console.

Nurf, says she'll help me however she can. She generously doesn't say 'I told you so'. Master Roshi is fascinated, wants to test how my combat skills have changed, observe my chi flows, comments that far worse has happened to people he knows.

I don't talk to Robin. He's a business associate, rather than a friend. Might be one, some day, but, he'll have to open-up a lot more. Also, any report I write for him, sorry, 'The Team', will be cleared by Oracle, first.

Terra, or, 'Tara'... I talk to her. Tell her I've had a... lab accident. But, I should be OK. It's only fair, but, I don't give her any details.

Mostly I talk to her so she wont feel left out.

---

AN: Darwin Awards, because if you don't know, you really should.

AN: There's been associative memory chips for quite a long time... WORM chips are more novel...

AN: Bet you guessed there'd be consequences...

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 52

Suddenly, you're a robot. No need to sleep. So useful. No need to...

OK. I'll admit it. It's a good job this variety of robot can cry.

Thinking back, before Raven 'acquired' me, I'd put a lot of effort into becoming more human. But, I'd resisted that final step, being... transferred into a (vat-grown) human body. I was... afraid. Maybe, felt I'd no longer be special, valued. Just one of the faceless human masses.

The joys of being a teenage robot. No neural pruning. But, we still find ways to make our lives hard. You should see my risk-chasing night-clubbing sister...

And I. I was always the sensible, dutiful, one.

My father's friend was fond of quoting the Python. "Not Dead Yet."

---

I'm going to be practical. Get on with things. Not quite 'business as usual', but there's plenty to do.

I demonstrated the medi scanner to Oracle. Transcribed the scan notation on to paper. Explained that it suggested she needed a carefully-designed program of lower-body movement. Something she might be able to do on her own, but, it'd be hard work.

Of course, she 'wasn't afraid of hard work'. Something I was already pretty certain was the case. I suggested that there were... technical solutions that could help, less drastic than trusting herself to weird medical systems. And, in case she was interested, I'd probably prototype them.

So, I'm building the robot trousers.

Not the normal sort of prostheses that my father had started on, which was more for people who'd survived stepping on mines. Though, various traffic, or industrial, accidents were other possibilities. And, the many medical causes.

No, these were dual-purpose, providing compression, and also allowing slow walking, even stair-climbing. A couple of hours use per day would probably do. And, they could have sensors fitted so she could monitor her health.

The trick was figuring-out the failure modes, and designing them out. Also, building-in redundancy, to handle the failures you could guarantee would still occur.

No super-science. No 'magic'. Just straight-forward human engineering. And, good batteries.

Oh, and I'd made it quite clear she got to keep all copies of the medical scans we did on her. They were her property, and would only be used with her agreement.

---

I'd got something to discuss with Terra, too. I'd seen her fiddling with her Raven-supplied bracelets. The ones that help her control her power. She'd remarked that flying around on a lump of rock wasn't... ideal. So, I'm offering to help her test alternatives.

An offer eagerly accepted.

I also explain ideas about redundancy, and, confusing your opponents. So, yes, normally you have your 'rocky chariot', but, you also have a fall-back, that you try not to use where enemies learn of it.

I explain that I'm guessing her powers only work on natural rock, but, does it need to be in one large piece?

We experiment, and, as long as the smaller rocks are connected together, then, she can move them as easily as one large one. We measure and fit her for a 'parachute' harness, one without the canopy, and, with rows of pockets for flat rocks.

And, yes, she can fly while wearing the harness. Maybe even learn to do a little acrobatics. Pretend it's acrobatic skill that lets her jump on and off rocks? I show her a few tricks I can do with my levitation.

Then, I explain that her opponents would prefer her to have 'simple powers', so she's easier to predict. How you can beat them by managing their expectations. Type 3 instead of Type 2 thinking; working out what they might be thinking about you.

She's now wearing one of the more evil grins I've seen. Why do I think she's got someone in mind to... educate?

I think I'll wait till she gets used to that before mentioning some of my other ideas...

---

Hitting the books...

My father had a limited amount of teaching skill, but, it suited his (generally concealed) forceful personality. I'm more into a cerebral approach, appeals to the intellect. Not to say I couldn't adopt his methods, and, eventually get them to work, but, I think Raven's going to want me teaching people pretty soon.

So, I'm studying education theory, some solidly experiment-based developmental psychology, because I think some educationalists are often not very... scientific. Some developmental physiology, too. I think, in some areas, the locals of this world are a bit... behind the curve.

I'm drawing maps of the local dimensional structure, too. Comparing astral and d-walking. Looking for suspicious gaps, patterns of flow, even how they've changed over time, from some of Raven's older books,

Why? Because I need to go places, other than local, find the spares I need for the med-bay, someone to sell me alchemical technology systems, training. Maybe, a 'hidden world' that I can use. Yes, I know, worlds generally have a good reason for being 'hidden'.

I know there's more than three-dimensional structure to the inter-world paths, but, most travellers will still be using them with a limited mind-set. Or, just sticking to known paths. So, I need to figure-out the mental acrobatics to use those other dimensions.

I'm going to need more math...

---

And, Raven is right. I need to face my fears, understand them. Figure-out what's fancy and what needs practical management. Understand their roots. I'm beginning to think there's something hiding in my memory that I need to dig-out. That'll be fun.

No reason I can't continue with my smithing, working on blades. Training to make best use of the products with Master Roshi. Robin may refuse to use potentially deadly weapons, but that philosophy isn't mine. I need to Master them.

Weapons are tools, after all. And, being human is about using the right tools.

---

So much to do. No waiting for the chips to arrive, or, fall.

I'm wearing the boots, and they're going where I want.

One step at a time.

---

AN: Yes, there are robot trousers; some call them 'bionic'.

AN: Neural pruning, is not actually a gardening activity...

AN: Some rather dark bits in Monty Python and the Holy Grail...

AN: Geo's 'Type 2' and 'Type 3' thinking is about how deeply you use Theory of Mind. You can see this in the more sophisticated work of the 'intelligence' services.

AN: Not quite a 'crisis of faith', but close.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 53

I'm seducing Robin.

No, not in the physical way. More, if you don't spend time with someone, how do you ever expect to become their friend?

Also, I've explained how, with careful use, and a little experimentation, you can use the med-bay to minimise required sleep. A mistake I admit I made, myself, as I didn't follow proper procedure.

I can see he's interested. But is sure there's some catch. So, I further explain that sufficiently sneaky enemies might try and exploit this, make it a 'bad habit', so you depend on it, then cut you off from that resource.

Robin likes this thinking. Particularly when I make it clear that your enemies may be smarter, or luckier, than you, and figure-out a way to exploit your behaviour you've not thought of. You just have to weigh-up the risks. And, be aware there may be information you don't have.

He asks me where I learned to think like this. I admit I learned from my father, who was a troubleshooter, and sometimes had to deal with those who were clever, but not clever enough to figure-out they shouldn't have attracted his attention.

He really likes that. Starts to, but doesn't say anything. Gives me one of his rare, unforced, grins.

I'll talk to him about how this mixes with him being an unknowing shaman, later...

---

Exploring Jump City, or San Francisco, if you prefer. Not smart to do this on your own. A good idea to have a friend. Or, at least, a companion. 'Friend' might come later.

I make it quite clear to Robin I'm not a detective. I don't know how to assess streets, know who's watching, following, who. Certainly got no idea how to reliably follow people. Or, where to go or who to tap for information. That my stealth abilities are minimal. And, climbing, that's something for daylight and using lots of equipment.

But, I've got quite good senses, with my Third Eye. D-walking can allow movement that few will expect. Just don't expect it to work in combat situations. I can levitate, even fly, slowly, giving access to places otherwise very difficult to get at.

My motivation?

I don't know the city, but I'd like to learn. We need to know what the skirmishing that's going on is all about. Mercenaries fighting demons. The first smells of Slade, the second might be connected to the imps who attacked us. Basically, we need more information.

Normally, he'd scout alone. Yes, I'll slow him down, in some ways. But, I can provide him with resources to make scouting more effective.

He thinks for a bit, says the reasoning seems sound. But, and I'm glad he finally admits this, he's still got his eye on me.

Also, a bird/raccoon/bloodhound might be very useful on a scout, but he needs to ensure there's no... temperament issues. It's pretty clear who he's talking about.

So. We will be scouting. Once we agree on procedures. Such as what to do if one or other of us is injured.

Reluctantly, I've informed him I'm currently cyborged, though not how extensively. And, after I checked this was OK with Oracle, I'd been involved in helping her. I'll let him come to his own conclusions.

Yes, I'm deliberately misleading him.

---

Telling Raven I'm planning on 'city scouting', and with whom.

On balance, she thinks it's a good idea. Robin apparently has his 'shaman shirt', but will need training in using it. And, yes, she wants me involved in that. It'll be fun to be the one with combat training, for a change.

It's made quite clear I'm not, and never want to be, a shaman. She gives a little smile, suggests I check the literature, and consider whether the other alternative is something I'd prefer. No. I'll take 'neither of the above'. Thank you very much.

Generously, she points-out I can't see in the dark. Offers to loan me a 'cat's eye' ring, which has the obvious cosmetic downside. I'll give it a try. Maybe see if I can encourage my Third Eye to learn the trick.

She does make it quite clear if I run-into significant magic use she wants me to run-away. As fast as fits in with being stealthy, or faster if discovered. Says I could do with training in fighting hostile magi, but, she's unsure how best to arrange that.

I see her point...

And, yes, we've been busy with all sorts of things, but it seems smart she, sometime, takes my robe and carefully examines it.

Talk about feeling naked...

---

After I saw Raven I meditated for a while. Focusing on my magical flows. They'd felt a bit different since the 'Larry' incident, which unlocked my magic.

I wanted to know if there were any changes that might assist me scouting. And, if I could tell what the changes were, in fact. Seemed unclear. Felt as though I'd now got some conscious ability to do ritual enchantment. Of some sort. I'd done it before, but, it'd been a rather hit-and-miss affair.

Now? Still unsure. But, something... deep and heavy felt to have begun moving. To do with my robe? I could, just about, feel my magic flowing into it. Pooling. Strange.

Guess I'd have to do a wait-and-see...

---

Consulting with Victor.

I've asked him to rig a portable listening system, parabolic mike, laser mike attached. Sound is his specialist area, after all, and we might find it useful. If it doesn't work either there's nothing to hear or we've clever opponents - either is valuable information. I consider arranging a lead to go in my interface plugs, but, that seems unnecessary complex.

I ask him for ideas about scouting. He suggests I use my built-in radio, scan to see if there's any interesting signals. I'd half-thought of this earlier, but not explored the idea.

Making sure I record anything suspiciously encrypted is also probably wise - means someone wants to keep things private. Cell phone signals often have a different 'taste' to military-style ones, and voice to data, so also worth checking for.

So, sigint, 'signals intelligence'.

---

One more thing with Robin.

Explaining I've been thinking back, am unhappy with my swimming abilities. Or, more my 'not quite drowning' ones. Yes, I can make a little headway, and my flight abilities might help, but it's still a concern.

Robin... agrees. Says swimming lessons are in order. After all, Jump City is coastal, and the Tower's on an island. He'll check whether any of the rest of the team need them. Something to go on the calendar.

Guess I might get some use of that one-piece swimsuit I argued Kory down (up?) to...

---

AN: Befriending Robin? May not work, but...

AN: Running around the Tower, talking to people, not that exciting, but... If you don't prepare, you're likely to fail.

AN: Signals intelligence.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 54

Raven's taken me. To see the ponies. The pretty-coloured ones. With the horns, the wings, the... stompy feet.

Why? She just grins at me. That grin worries me...

A long trek, and we back-track several times, avoiding nasty dimensions, or even whole clumps of them. I get to do most of the navigation, I think Raven wants to test what I've learned.

My local maps quickly prove inadequate, and I have to start, carefully, exploring, using higher than three-dimensional math. I think I surprise Raven, once or twice, though she's good at hiding that sort of thing. And, I caught her looking pleased, hopefully at my success.

Finally we got close, a dimensional area I recognise from pony-watching with Raven (and occasionally Kory). She carefully steers us away from the actual world her 'alt' lives on, to another in a close-by cluster. This looks far more like a normal Earth, and the continental layout, from Space, looks similar. Yes, I'm wearing that bracelet, again.

We sneak down to the planet, staying off the beaten track, sliding through reasonably dangerous dimensions. She leading, and the way she moves make me pretty sure she's been here before. We appear to be coming in on the West Coast of the United States, staying out-of-phase, see-but-not-seen.

And, yes, that looked like San Francisco.

But...

---

The people, yes, they're human. Vary in height and build in the expected ways, though, on average, they look healthier. Clothing varied, but basically matches. What's different...

Skin, and hair, colours. Purple skin, orange skin, green, red, just about any colour you could imagine. And, either the hairdressing industry works really hard, here, or people come 'out of the box' with striped hair. And, weirder.

I look at a green-skinned girl arm-in-arm with an orange-skinned boy. Yes... I can make a few guesses...

And, I look at a widely-grinning Raven.

"Do you think that Bank of Mammon card you told me about will work here?"

I've a feeling our planned swimming practice may surprise Robin...

---

Back at the Tower. Raven's showed me the basics of a 'stop the clock' manoeuvre, a dimensional travel trick that means you can be away, for a long time, but return a moment after you left. No, not before. That sort of thing is really best avoided. So, back at the ritual circle, in her room, in the Tower.

We took extra time, returning, drew some new maps, worked-out ways to minimise tricky bits. With extra care to avoid populated areas. The amount of time in human-unfriendly atmospheres. A quick step, twist, step, while holding your breath was OK, but we got even those down to less than a handful.

Raven wants to look at my math notes, so, I'll have to tidy them up, write-out stuff I've only got in my head. The university bookshop has been so useful, as has their library. I've got some books on special order, and I'm thinking of subscribing to at least one of the math journals.

---

This morning a surprise. A package. A 'gift from a friend'. Containing computer chips. The sort, from the label, that Victor was still negotiating to get S.T.A.R. Labs to make. They'd had (another!) break-in, and everything was in turmoil.

I showed the team, no reason not to. Victor inspected the chips, the label, mentally accessed the surveillance records. Says looks like it was delivered in the morning mail, by our normal mail-person. Nothing unusual.

Robin, I notice his eyes narrow as he examines the note that was in the package. Delicately grips it, sniffs at it, holds the paper up to the light. Nods.

"Hey, man! I'm the hound dog!" Garfield seems to fear infringement.

Cyborg just grins.

---

Self-inspection. Not a bad idea to maintain good health. But, I'm taking it further. Looking inside, with a medical endoscope.

No, this isn't down my throat, or up other places. I'm going in through my maintenance seam, on my lower-back, along my spine. Checking out my non-living bits. Being a cyborg – there's some overheads.

I could've used various sensors. Tried to use my Third Eye, though it doesn't work as well on myself, and, didn't work with a mirror. But, this, a fibre-optic cable. About as direct as I could be without getting... drastic.

All looks OK. Living and non-living bits. I'd gone all the way up to my 'brain', where there was... more functionality than there should be. I could see where I would want to slot-in those extra chips. But, before then, there was a lot of testing to do. You really don't want to find your brain 'blue screening' on you.

Also, I want to test something. Whether the non-living bits of me were being changed by my 'chi', in some way. So, I use the surgical part of the endoscope, shave a tiny sliver off the plastic of one of my ribs.

And, get a strange glow, pale-blue electric (of course!) flickering across my ribs. It... doesn't feel like my chi, which gives me an aura that colour, or similar limb extensions. It feels... magical.

And, as I watch, the mark left by taking the sliver is gone. OK. That happened. Magic I don't understand affecting my insides.

At least I've got the sliver to examine, but...

I'm going to have to talk to Raven.

---

Later, I get a call from Oracle.

"I call showing the note to Robin cheating!"

"I call it 'using available resources'."

I guessed she might've sent it. But, nice to have it confirmed.

"You hacked the chip specs out of Victor's secure systems? You're trying to make a point, aren't you?"

"I think I made it. They're not secure enough. I think... I'm going to have to make a visit."

I pause. She doesn't say anything else.

"Would you mind if I pop-over? I'll use your side-door, same as last time. Might look as if I'm bringing a friend. Got a couple of things you might like to look at..."

"I'll put the kettle on."

---

AN: Yes, another bits-and-pieces episode...

AN: You recall the ponies, don't you?

AN: Do you think wise people should worry about Raven taking an interest in math?

AN: Endoscope, though you probably knew that.

AN: You likely don't want a Blue Screen...

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 55

Plans are nice. I like plans. But, there's a major issue.

Sometimes they die before they're born.

I'd planned to go see Oracle, as soon as I gathered some bits. But, when I walked through the lounge I discovered the Tower was under attack.

Well, 'attack' might be an exaggeration. More, there seemed to be... an unconventional visitor.

Garfield and Victor had been playing a video game, on the big lounge screen, which is also the main tv. Something with giant monsters and robots, which I'd not played myself, but they seemed fond of.

And... Their game was being interrupted.

A large masked figure had appeared on the screen, apparently by pushing the game they were playing off to one side, in a style similar to some cartoon character tricks. A T. Rex with head-mounted lasers was apparently upset about this, and roaring from it's rapidly decreasing screen space, but he seemed to be ignoring it.

The boys were sitting watching, with opened mouths. I used my radio collar to call the rest of the team via the Tower internal comms, while making sure no alert showed in the lounge. It wasn't clear what else I could do.

---

Fortunately everyone was in the Tower.

We quickly got everyone but Raven, with the inclusion of Terra and Master Roshi. Then, Raven, who'd apparently been in the med-bay, because she joined us with a (annoyed-looking) Nurf. Who looked about my height rather than her more usual shorter self. Experience of Raven suggested she was hiding embarrassment.

Something to ask about later?

The masked figure on the otherwise blank screen appeared to be standing, front-stance, looking at us. Impossible to tell his height without a reference, but he had what's sometimes called a generous build; broad-shouldered and over-weight. Longish red-hair, a domino mask, side-burns, a costume apparently thrown-together from multiple sources.

"I am Control Freak! And I'm here to teach you the power of video!"

I'm guessing he's not on a friendly visit...

He looks over the team, nods at various people, seems a little confused by others.

"Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy, OK. Starfire and Raven, right. You, you're not supposed to have joined, yet." He points at Terra, for some reason.

"There's not supposed to be any adults here!" He glares at Master Roshi, who shrugs.

"And, you, you, you're not even on the cast list!" For some reason he points at Nurse and me.

Gathering himself, he pulls-out something that looks like a remote control 'improved' by a mad scientist.

"Let the games begin!"

---

I'm with Terra, Nurse and Master Roshi. We're watching the big screen. Maybe we should've done something when the lightning came out of the screen, and sucked everyone else in? But, it seemed to happen too fast.

The screen is... dynamic. Sometimes maybe sixteen equal rectangles, sometimes a different arrangement with one larger image and the rest smaller. All showing what I'm pretty sure are different tv shows and films, with the odd video game. The team are full participants. As the sound we hear switches from scene-to-scene, directing our attention.

Control Freak seems to be enjoying himself, in control of the environment. The Titans are being chased, though sometimes they get to chase him, as well as some more static scenes.

I'm pretty sure some of those are old black-and-white productions, and I recognise Star Trek (locally called 'Warp Trek'), Star Wars, and Wile E. Coyote. The last was part of my education, learning to understand others may not see the world as you do.

Seems a mix of child's game one-upmanship and psychological warfare. Terra looks confused, reaches a hand towards the screen, once or twice, then pulls it back. It's obviously outside Nurse's frame of reference. Master Roshi watches, nodding once or twice.

Then, the screens arrange themselves with everyone but Raven and Control Freak in smaller screens round a larger central one. That's the two in a mad science lab, Raven strapped in a chair, attached wires, being monologued at. While they're obviously speaking lips are blurred, speech gently bleeped.

With an immense effort Raven rips her way free, then stops.

Something obviously offends her as she goes white, grey-skinned, then red-faced. Gestures, and Control Freak is now athletically fit. He says something, she goes even more red, gestures more violently, and the bleeping changes to, "... and stay that way!".

Everyone stops moving, just looks.

---

Team now back in the lounge. Screen just white, as it was at the beginning, with now-athletic visitor.

"The little guy was right! Booyah! Infinite snacks with no downsides! If you get prodded right, you can be made to do anything!"

Raven is, honest, not grinding her teeth. Probably good that she can heal.

"Getting gadgets from my future-self worked, too! Hmm. What was his name? 'Larry' I think he said..."

Gloating as various people react.

"Good to let me visit."

He looks us over, switches to a (bad) foreign accent.

"I'll be back."

---

Raven has calmed down. Kory-hugs helped. Garfield has explained 5th dimensional imps, for anyone interested. Victor is studying the Tower's systems, shaking his head.

Robin seems a bit stunned, something shared by others.

"I've... been having a difficult day. My... temper has been short."

Apparently it's Raven confession time.

"You've probably noticed that I've been relaxing some of my rigid emotional control, lately. Trying to enjoy life, smile more, allow myself to get a little upset. But, it's led to me saying things like 'Grow up!' to Nurf."

One or two people nod. Terra looks confused.

"It's... a work in progress. All my life, before coming here, I was taught I needed total control. Or, really bad things would happen. Potentially end-of-the-world things." She sighs.

"No one told me about that!" Terra is obviously concerned.

Raven gives her a little smile.

"It's one of the reasons the Teen Titans exist. The adult super-heroes don't seem to care about the issue, so we're all living, working, together to support each other. And deal with it. Friends."

Terra slowly nods. Nurf is a little wide-eyed, but after a brief pause, follows her.

"I... can put this changed body in storage. 'Defrost' another servitor, imprint myself, business as usual?"

I cough. Mentally crossing my fingers.

"Nurf? This is a new world, new things to learn. Maybe you could try and see if being this new body helps? Would you mind giving it a try?"

She looks a little uncertain, then, nods.

"And, I hereby give you command authorisation to manage the servitors in whatever way you believe is best."

Shock, then, a wide grin. Robin gives me a thoughtful look.

There is much hugging.

---

AN: Just in case, T. Rex.

AN: I expect you know all about cartoon physics...

AN: Want to know how tall, and heavy, American kids were, about year 2000? Maybe useful data for authors?

AN: Front stance, as used in some martial arts.

AN: A necessary part of every education: Wile E. Coyote.

Spoiler: There are alternatives...

Arguably, "I'll be back" is more classic, though.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Author Notes 6 - Story Ending

It's possible that some of you may have asked, "When is this story going to end?". Or, you may have assumed that it's just going to trail-on, indefinitely, until the author's muse deserts them, or they fall under a bus. Well, I've got some good news, and some bad news...

If you read Prince Charon's bit, at the beginning, then it should be clear that sooner or later Raven's apprentice gets sent home. After that, it's a different story. Also, part of the behind-the-scenes logic is that Geo's progress is being tracked, using tabletop RPG rules (see previous Author Notes). These game mechanics strongly suggest a particular end-point, in terms of 'experience points'.

Now, when does all this happen? This Note should be just after Episode 55 (Friday 17th July), and there's a buffer which currently goes up to Episode 60. Looking at the pattern it would fit with about Episode 65 being the last one (another two weeks, Friday 31st July), including any Epilogue. Plotting may be required!

Can I write this so it works, fits in the remaining space? I don't know. Let's see, shall we?

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 56

Super-villain attack. A pretty good excuse. Oracle accepted it, anyway

So, I'm excused being late.

But, I need to speak to Raven, First.

To apologise.

---

"I'm sorry. We just stood there, doing nothing. It was... like we had to watch. But, not interfere."

Raven starts to say something, then stops. Looks thoughful. Walks to a shelf, takes a book, and flips through it.

"I thought I remembered..." She murmurs. "Yes! Here it is!"

She reads carefully, looks back and forward through a few pages.

"The... intruder. Control Freak. I thought I remembered someone with powers like his. The power to pull things from works of fiction, drag people into them, entrance everyone with the 'story'." She grins, widely.

"He's a Dream Walker, a Mystic Storyteller. They are rare but their greatest weakness is that their... powers cannot directly affect themselves. Unless, it is part of a story, and, that story must be told to others, preferably many others."

"Is he magical?" I hope I don't sound plaintive.

She frowns. "I think it is not quite magic, nor spritual. One of those which are difficult to classify. In fact..." She stares up into the air for a few seconds.

"I don't think he knows what he is. The worlds he takes people are on the edge of the Dreaming, but he calls them the 'tv dimensions'. He said he had an 'atomic-powered' remote control, but, I think it is the dream of nuclear energy, as the ultimate power source, that he's using. I believe he thinks he's some sort of super-scientist."

We look at each other, for a few moments.

I break the silence. "What's his weakness?"

Raven frowns. "You must join him, in telling the story. Add elements that fit, but which turns things towards your advantage. I'm afraid..."

And she sighs. Deeply.

"We'll have to get Garfield and Victor to help. They are the ones who know this battlefield."

---

We're sipping tea, thinking about Raven's theory. Unfortunately, it's difficult to see how we can test it before we next meet Control Freak.

Suddenly, Raven looks worried. "I don't think we can win if 'Larry' is giving him advice. He didn't seem to be properly prepared for who was in the team, but, he still managed to 'win'. What if he's better briefed, next time?"

Everything. Stops.

You know how there's always little sounds? The wind, the creaking of the building, the faint, maybe distant, buzz or humm of something electric? Nothing. Raven's strongest wards can produce that silence, but they have an oppressive weight of their own. I caught sight of a spec of dust, revealed by the light. Immobile. No scents. No pressure from sitting.

Nothing.

A pale lady. In black. With an ankh. Looking a little annoyed. Holding 'Larry' by one ear.

"You know your function, the games you can play. You were given fair warning. But, you tried to cheat, by using a pawn. You've produced an imbalance."

He really doesn't look happy...

"So, you will pay, using your own, personal, energies, for what Raven does next."

Unhappy? He looks like he has... I think someone called it 'cancer of the puppy'.

Raven is grinning in a way I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of.

"Now, Think." The Lady looks at Raven.

"Petty revenge is one possibility, but, you might want to think on a larger scale. That idea you had for really upsetting your father?"

---

We hang in the air over... Azarath. It's frozen, between moments, but I still get the impression it's a scared city. Magnificent, but the inhabitants are deeply unhappy. The frozen chi flows show that.

"Now. How to upset my father most? Hmm."

Raven gestures, and a mirror appears. On the other side is an immense cavern, with walls covered in man-sized niches, currently empty.

"Check I don't miss anyone, Sugoi. Or anything."

The niches start getting oocupied, faster and faster. Quickly, there's no one left in the city but a single spirit in the central temple. Though, there are apparently living people, everywhere. In place of their natural spirits they have what you could call a dream, a shadow, of one. Even pet animals, and things like rats, are taken.

We float through walls. We are in the sanctury, of the temple. An older woman, and, a living flame. Even though we are outside Time, they still move.

"Azar." Raven addresses them. They both nod.

"I can save the people, but you will have to stand here to face Trigon. If you follow the Story I was given, everyone will die, physically, bar my mother, and she will shelter your spirit."

They nod, again.

And we're back in Raven's room.

---

"Are you all right, Sugoi?"

"I... felt something happen... but, I'm... not sure what it was." I cough. "You were saying?"

"You'd better not keep Oracle waiting any longer?"

"Yes. That sounds right."

Raven gives a tiny smile.

---

AN: (Mysticism Warning) The Dreaming; not quite the DC one...

AN: If you don't know what a lady in black with an ankh is about, might be best you find out...

AN: What's going on, at the end, well, have you heard of need to know? Or, you might want to think about 'it was all a dream', used in reverse...

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Time to Trade - Episode 57

Oracle visit. Take two. Something's... being hidden from me.

I don't know what, but... I think something cosmic happened. Again.

And, I've this nasty suspicion...

Talking to Raven about it wont help.

---

I've done the 'temporal two-step'. I've this nasty suspicion (another one) I'm running out of time. So, using that trick Raven taught me, you can return a moment after you leave. Or, in this case, fit-in extra things without being even later visiting Oracle.

Seeing as I'm outside time, floating above San Francisco, should be unlikely I'm interrupted. So, I'm levitating, focusing on my chi, balancing that with my magic, and psychic energies, feeling around for what I should be doing next.

"Excuse me, miss? What are you doing in the Speed Force?"

---

Ah.

A man all in red, with yellow bits, and a lightning bolt symbol on his chest. Running on the spot. I've read enough to recognise the Flash. One of the big names. I hope I'm not supposed to meet all the founding members of the Justice League...

"I... didn't think I was in the 'Speed Force', and in fact I don't know what that is. I'm Sugoi, Raven's apprentice. She taught me a trick to use while dimension walking. So you don't use-up any time. Once I've figured-out what I'm doing next, I'm going to walk off through the dimensions. Probably that way." I indicate my planned route.

He rubs his eyes.

"Your arm did something really strange, just then. Raven? The Teen Titan? The... one who uses weird magic?"

"Yes?"

"Oh... Kay... So, you're not a new speedster? You're... using magic?"

"Actually, I'm using a psychic power, to dimension walk. I'm not very good at magic. No, I'm not very fast. And, psychic powers aren't easy to use, they don't work well in combat. You can't touch the real world from where we are."

He's obviously thinking.

"I've felt a few, brief, uses of the Speed Force, from this area, so that's why I'm looking around. So, I probably felt Raven, and, you?"

"I think so. Oh. You might want to be careful. We've been attacked, recently. In the Tower. So, Raven's put up defensive magic. I don't know if it might get in your way."

A thoughtful look. "There was some sort of... minor resistance, as I came into the city. Maybe that's what it was?" He obviously comes to a decision.

"I'll let you be about your business. If you need help, ask Robin, he knows how to contact me, through Kid Flash. Bye!"

And he starts to sink down, and is quickly out of sight.

---

I'm scouting the not-quite-local, but not deep dimensions. Being careful to watch the time side of things. Depending on how you look at it there's at least three temporal axes, as well as null-time. You don't want to get stuck in null-time. You'll never notice you've done it, and only outside rescue will help.

It's occurred to me that the vision I had, when Master Roshi 'validated' himself might hold useful clues. I saw paths I've never found on any map, in any of Raven's ancient books. I think I can guess which one would lead home, and others go off into... other multiverses, might be the best description. Places well outside the local dimensional cluster, but not 'homeward'.

One of those feels right. So, I'm checking-out a dimension which seems totally full of pure water. Chemically pure, with a little dissolved air, which is a useful hint. Following the concentration of air, d-walking 'hops', while staying out-of-phase, an immense void, apparently full of air. A 'bubble'? It feels... lifeless, but otherwise safe.

Taking a deep breath, I move out into the air. Nothing... happens. I'm in a new world. One well-off the beaten track. Looking around, endless water, lit by no clear light source. My environmental force field seems OK, so I risk breathing the air within it, and carefully check its sensors. Outside air seems OK, but totally sterile.

There's a speck on the water, in the distance. I lose patience, and d-walk there, frustrated by my slow flying. It's... an immense ship. Built from giant hardwood tree-trucks, cunningly shaped into planks.

My chi-sense says there's no life, on-board the kilometre-long ship. No tech energies, the faintest hint of tree-spirit, in the wood, nothing else. The scale of the thing, the hatches, the doorway in the comparatively small superstructure, if they were humanoid they were giants. I'm guessing ten-metres, about thirty-feet, tall.

I focus, maybe manage to imprint the ship on my d-walking ability? Will that let me come back here, without a search and lots of not-swimming? We'll have to see.

---

I'm back, at the Tower. Staying timeless, and out-of-phase. Need more time to think. I went a lot further, far enough that I was using emergency rations from my belt pouches. Made contacts. Now have a source of spare parts for the med-bay.

The people... were strange. Some human, others resembled the upper, more human, body of the wizard Raven bargained with. 'Drow' I think she said. And, other 'races', though mostly humanoid. Civilized and friendly. I'll need to carefully think about how they're to be paid; new-for-old on a one-for-four basis... I'm guessing they want to study foreign tech. Or cash. They'll take cash.

The... bar that I'd visited...

Full of beings of great power. Major gods and better was my impression. Relaxing, having a good time. Fortunately, the bar accepted my emergency gold coins, and, the bar-lady was kind enough to suggest who might help me, point me to trade representatives. I'd a strong impression doing the wrong thing could've left me far worse than dead...

I know I was gone for... personal-time, days? That feels right. But, I think it was worth it.

So, take a deep breath. Carefully recall my mental state from before I left. Freshen-up. Grab my luggage. And...

We're off to see the Oracle!

---

AN: Two-step, so you don't trip over your own feet.

AN: Drow, who seem to be a TSR invention. (Closest prior seems to be 'trow', a sort of (Scandinavian) troll, I think.)

AN: Once you start messing with Time...

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 58

Not a perfect journey, but a more direct one. At least I know where I'm going, this time. Interestingly, it's the dog whose happily following my trail, and the 'human' in the 'hoodie' that's on a lead.

But, we're off the beaten track, so we manage to avoid meeting anyone.

At the side-door, in the alleyway. I've put the lead away, just before we stepped into phase, 'reality' many would call it. Was I getting too used to d-walking?

---

Checks and counter-checks. I'm reasonably quickly let-in. The murder holes are still as intimidating. Then, it's into the lounge. And, explanations.

I reveal that the 'human' is a water-filled plastic shape, with a minimal skeleton, and effectively just filler for the robot trousers. Hand-over a small booklet, and a CD, so she's got full documentation, care-and-feeding instructions, some fault-finding notes.

I think the large dog, with a backpack, interests her more, though I can tell she's eager to explore the possibilities of the trousers. Introduction time.

"K9.1? This may be your new mistress. Accept and imprint, if she's willing."

The dog goes up to... Barbara. Looks at her. She holds out a fist to be sniffed, watching carefully, avoiding staring into eyes. Accepted. Then, reaches further, offers to touch the shoulder. This also goes well. Then, a brief ear-scritch. Wagging tail shows this is completely irrelevant.

"Do you like her?"

"She seems like a nice dog. One of my regrets is I didn't think it fair to inflict my current... life-style on a dog."

"She's in need of a good home. Are you willing to give it a try?"

"Yes."

"New mistress? What name would you like me to have?"

She stares at the (talking) dog.

"A robot? I can see why you might think I'd like one. I'm going with 'K9.1', for the moment, naming is a serious business, I'll need to think about it. What's the backpack for?"

K9.1 turns her head, and a flap opens on the backpack. A cable snakes out, parts the fur on the back of her neck, plugs-in. The backpack opens, and a skeletal robot arm, with a five-fingered hand, deploys.

Barbara shakes her head. "You've really thought this through. A pet dog with a optional helping-hand. K9.1? Please put that away"

This happens.

Another manual, several CDs. And, we chat over coffee.

---

"You... Look different." I don't think I've changed that much, lately, though visiting a bar full of over-gods does tend to leave an impression.

"What makes you say that?"

"You seem... more real, more... there. Confident in yourself. Have you fixed your... body issues?"

"Not yet..." I focus on myself, use my tech-sight, for some reason, and leap to my feet.

"What?"

Where I was sitting, in my chair, is my robot-self, un-robed, eyes closed, but otherwise intact. I'm... flesh-and-blood, again. When did that happen? Why didn't I notice?

"There seem to be two of you." It's difficult to see how Barbara could be drier.

"I'm a little surprised myself!"

My robot body dissolves, into blue sparks, that I can feel are intensely magical, streams across the room, into Barbara, who fails to dodge quickly enough. And, there's no more robot.

"What?" Yes, we speak in unison.

---

Barbara is standing, a little unsteady.

The wheels of her chair locked, a firm arm on the chair. She's stretching, shifting her weight from one leg to the other, carefully lifting one foot, briefly balancing, then the other. Total concentration.

Why? What have I done to the universe? I don't begrudge Barbara use of her legs, but, that's the second living-skinned robot snatched from me. What am I doing wrong?

I sigh, she glances at me, then goes back to testing her legs.

I rise into the air, twist my pale-blue chi-aura so it cloaks my lower body, bow to her.

"Seeing as my magic seems to be working for you, today... Oh mighty mistress, that was your first wish, do you know what your second, and your third and final wish are?"

The side of her mouth quirks up. No, she doesn't murmur "Nerd".

Still obviously focused on her legs, and the slow knee-bends she's moved on to, she mutters, "I'm guessing world peace is pushing my luck. How about... stopping the Joker, for good. And, yes, I'd like a trip into Space."

---

It's a couple of hours later. We're in the Tower, with Raven, sipping tea and coffee. Oracle has a blur instead of a head, which completely hides even her hair, courtesy of a collar loaned by Raven. We're calming down, taking stock. Oracle, with voice distortion, is half-heartedly talking about improving the Tower's security.

Thinking about it, I realise Oracle's wearing the robot trousers. And, moving in a way that suggests she's dependent on them for walking. I guess some people might know she can't walk, and would be highly suspicious about a 'miraculous recovery'. So, someone out-about, without the robot trousers, can't be Oracle. That's sneaky!

Batman's in the secure conference room, 'talking' to Robin. He's... not happy the Joker's no more, now just a sobbing, broken man. Raven pulled the 'corpse worm' out of him, that seemed to be empowering him, all ten-metres, about thirty-feet, of it. Made sure that didn't kill him.. Pulled a baby worm from Harley Quinn. Fortunately, good psychiatric care may be enough for her.

Ravan plans to dispose of the worms after checking their Gotham roots. Along with any others in whatever is their 'nest'. Should put a severe crimp on a Joker come-back, or future Jokers. Maybe we'll ask Beast Boy if he's any further ideas, seeing as he's the widest knowledge.

The Lunar visit, Raven hung around, in the background, let me lead Oracle through the experience. Walking on the Moon. On her own two legs. Wearing my environmental shield, while I wore Raven's bracelet. Yes, I made sure she'd a camera with her.

One problem.

I'm not sure Barbara is looking at me just as a friend, any more...

Tricky...

---

AN: Hoodie, because fashions change...

AN: Disney's 'Aladdin'; no, Geo can't do a (good) Robin William voice...

AN: I wonder why the term 'lich' might be relevant to the Joker? I think I'll mention 'unknowing shaman' (or, did he do a deal with a Gotham spirit?) while I'm at it...

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 59

Be very, very, quiet. We're hunting Batmans.

Actually... I'm sort of in a 'hide', a sheet draped-over the robot body I'm possessing. In the secure conference room.

This robot has latex-skin, the added chips; if there's any problems with it Raven's confident she can get me back to my human body. And, the lack of a living-skin means this robot's reasonably expendable. Currently, I'm chi-less; lack of anything living tends to do that. And, I'm pretty sure most of my magic is back with my living body.

The robot is a 'demonstration piece' that Raven intends to show Batman, then cover it up again. Batman is apparently using the fact he's here as Oracle's bodyguard to deal with a few other issues. Of which the disposal of the Joker is just the latest.

Currently, Raven doesn't plan for me to meet Batman, face-to-(living)-face. I'm pretty sure she doesn't completely trust him. But, you know what they say about plans...

---

The reveal went well.

Raven explained she couldn't see a reason Batman would need to meet me. Showed-off the robot, replaced the sheet. Unfortunately, if I can't see things my Third Eye is useless, which means I have to fall-back on my far cruder 'feelings'. I can feel two spirits (ignoring my own), two chi-auras, and one powerful magical aura, in the room, but not much else.

"I'm guessing you want an explanation of what happened to the Joker. Simply, I dealt with him, and his... follower, something that should've been done long ago. There's a little more clean-up, to do, but unless a higher power of some sort gets involved... No. More. Joker."

Could that be the gritting of teeth I hear?

"I'm more interested in knowing why you acted, now. Yes, I can see that the legal system is unlikely to be troubled. But, I'd like to know."

There's a brief silence.

"Again, simply, my apprentice asked me to. Normally I steer well-clear of Gotham, I'm an empath, the aura of the city... disgusts me. I believe, in turn, that Oracle asked my apprentice to... deal with the Joker."

"Why should you be able to 'deal' with the Joker, when so many before you have failed?"

"Because, I researched where he gained his power from, influences that infest the occult pall that hangs over Gotham. Something you don't seem to have bothered to do."

Yes, definite grinding of teeth. Then, an out-breath.

"Are you trying to annoy me for some particular reason?"

"No one told Zatanna that failing to help me was a bad idea. You were in a perfect position to do that. But, you did nothing."

"I'm not a magician, I have to rely on others to give me advice on... magic. Both Zatanna and Doctor Fate said you should be left alone. You'll have to ask them if you want to know why."

"Which brings me to Robin. Why didn't you instruct him properly? Leave him open to any spirit that wanted to make use of him? Were you not taught, yourself, the dangers of that?"

"My training was... very limited. Everything else was self-taught. I weighed the need for secrecy against safety. This is the first time either I, or he's, had a problem."

"Both I and my apprentice are giving him lessons, and he is learning quickly. I expect him to soon grasp the basics of spiritual self-defence."

There's another pause.

"You used magic on me, didn't you? So I'd answer your questions, and not realise what was happening?"

"Actually, a subtle mix of magic and empathy. So you engaged better with the world. I note that you don't carry any protective amulets, supplied, for example, by Zatanna or Doctor Fate. Maybe you should re-think that?"

I hear the sound of her getting-up. Help! Is she leaving me here with the Batman?

"The effect will cease when I leave this room. Which I'll do now. I'll prepare you a reading list, of works ancient and modern, so you can begin to improve your education."

---

A longer pause. There's now only one other spirit in the room, though there's a very faint sense of doubling, that I've sometimes noted around Robin. Hmm. Maybe being blind is sharpening my senses? There's no magic, which matches what Raven said, and a powerful chi-aura.

I hear a faint clicking. About a minute later Robin 'knocks' (secure room, you know), then enters.

"B... Batman. Do you want me to sweep the room for eavesdroppers, as per procedure?"

"No. I'm happy with the state of the room. Now, Robin, please report to me the full circumstances that led to you getting magical training."

A gulp.

"Technically, it's not magic. It's spiritual stuff, the sorts of things shaman learn. I've found it difficult, but it does seem to help me make sense of some things that previously confused me. I can easily defeat Sugoi in physical combat, but she's better than me on the spirit level. I'm sure there's things I'll run-into that'll make her look like a bug."

"Could you say for me, with emphasis, 'Holy Smoke, Batman!', please."

Robin does, though I'm pretty sure he's puzzled. Then, he describes the spirit attack, and what followed it.

"Thank you. You might want to compare what you just told me with the reports you send, and what it is proper to both tell and not tell me. Also, we will be talking, in detail, about the censored video of... Sugoi working in her lab on robots, that you circulated, as a fishing exercise to learn more about her."

What? Why didn't anyone tell me about that? Though, I guess Raven said Robin'd done something, and Oracle's been hinting...

"You can go now."

---

Robin's left. All is quiet. I don't even hear breathing. But, the strong chi is still here.

"I know you're in there."

Ahhhhh!

"Good, no flinching. No, I'm not going to Sherlock to your Watson and tell you how I spotted you. I know what you are, I know where you came from, and I've met people from your sort of world before. Fortunately, you've been close-mouthed."

But... I couldn't remember anything! Most of the time, anyway. I couldn't talk! And... it would've upset Raven. And, the others.

"So far you've not made any fatal mistakes. Not bad for a student. But, I'll be continuing to read Robin's reports. Carefully."

I can feel a figure, looming over me, though I can't see anything.

"You'd better not hurt... Oracle."

And, there's no presence, no other spirit, no chi in the room.

How did he do that?

---

AN: The rabbit hunter, himself. Whether he'd use a 'hide', or not... He does need all the help he can get...

AN: Not the 'pall' most people tend to think of...

AN: I'll throw-in shamanism, again, just in case.

AN: Please note, Raven didn't say, "There will be a Test". Batman's not stupid, though, he's probably figured-out that she plans to give him one.

AN: I really don't know why I'd mention this tv series...

Spoiler: Essential education!

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 60

AN: This episode's complex, so it's split into (named) sub-episodes.

---

Blue Team 1

Council of war. Oracle, Victor and me. Only this time, Robin is 'Red Team'.

Though we've not bothered telling him.

I explained Robin had abused his access to the Tower security recordings, and then (according to Raven, who I'd talked through checking) erased his tracks. We're going to ensure that if he tries that again he'd have to work really, really, hard.

OK, 'Blue Team' motto will be "No more Miss Trusting, now I'm mistrusting", with apologies to Victor. Who... He's rather distracted.

Stopping, holding-up a hand, just gazing at it. Feeling the right-side of his face. Yes, he's in his living-skinned robot. I'd unlocked the repaired life-mover capabilities of the med-bay, just for him, after upgrading his robot with the new chips, and the latest anti-shock/vibration plus anti-daisy-daisy support infrastructure. Micro-PK and shrinking are super-powers...

Repaired med-bay? Hadn't I mentioned that?

---

Preparations

I've been running-around since I got away from Batman - I might admit I was a little... miffed.

First I'd worked with Raven, fought her tooth-and-nail, to stay in the robot. Her aim was to stuff me back in my living body, without damaging my spirit, or, preferably, the robot. I'd recalled all the 'stickiness' I'd felt when I tried to leave my living-fleshed robot, myself, tried to reproduce it.

She'd said I'd given her an interesting fight, taught her a few new tricks. She was the fall-back, for Victor, in case there were issues with the med-bay life-mover. I felt he deserved that redundancy.

Next, I'd taken a chance, done a zero-elapsed-time d-walk, to Max's robot shop, in Tokyo, Japan. Apologised I'd not got back to him sooner, said I'd discuss his progress with using the build cell, that I'd trained him with for robot repair, hopefully some time soon. Bought as wide a range of irreparable light-and-compact robot parts as he'd sell me. Into my backpack. Promised a full report on what I could learn from them.

Back to the Tower. A brief but effective class from Raven on how to create and manage a dimensional pocket. I'd had a revelation, 'location is an object property', and my style of magic could manipulate object properties. So, with significant effort, a ritual, really, I could place things, including non-AGI robots, into the 'pocket', then retrieve them at will. Of course, to store them again needed the ritual.

So, broken robot parts from Jump City junk-yards, the totally wrecked bits of the med-bay innards, and enough spare parts to create an advanced alch-tech workshop. In fact, all the requirements for maybe six-months of recycled living. All into the pocket. Because I'm a bit paranoid, I'm taking the Synthesiser and the mind interface. Oh. And, a load of R&R stuff based on my month of isolation recovering in the med-bay.

Raven thought it an interesting 'graduation' project, but decided against joining me. Teen-aged Nurf came along, partly to keep an eye on the med-bay work, partly as an experiment on long-term separation from her core-self, partly to ensure I didn't go mad.

Supplies for her? Into the pocket! We (briefly) discussed things, and I went off, using another zero-elapsed-time d-walk, to England, the one I'd visited before. Shopping. Made sure the pocket contained two-year's supplies for both of us, as a just-in-case.

---

A Year on the Ship

Took us a year, eventually, in what I'm now calling my 'workshop world', building stuff on the giant ship. The beacon I'd got from my tech-supply contact, worked beautifully, and we exchanged old-for-new, as agreed. I've got most of a med-bay I've assembled myself, on the ship, all hidden and secured, as well as the most advanced workshop I could build. And, a few things I'd built from scratch. Some of which I'd sold, through the tech-supplier, to pay for more high-tech parts.

Nurf and I... got to know each other quite well in that year. We agreed, what happened on the ship, stayed on the ship. If nothing else, the power-relationships, back at the Tower, made things... problematic. But, reading drow-supplied romance novels (from my tech-source), only gets you so far.

We'd worked hard to ensure 'command authority' hadn't messed things up, between us. And, Nurf'd done some long-reaching exploration, across many dimensions, via her astral projection abilities. Once she was sure I could keep her body safe. She'd also taken-up oil painting, so as to illustrate some of her astral experiences.

We both are fully-literate in Elven, now. Will we ever use that?

---

Courting Trouble

Back at the Tower, she's resynchronising. I've repaired the med-bay, just about up to original specs. All before shuffling Victor. And, so far, only Raven knows we spent so long away.

I talked it out with Nurf, who with her hundreds-of-years of life told me 'not to be a fool'. It was obvious I'd been falling in love with... Oracle, and it looked like she'd fallen for me, as well. Yes, I'll be telling her, in private, about my ship-life. Nurf was quite firm on that point, too.

---

Blue Team 2

Still. Here-and-now. Tower (information) security.

Encrypt everything, keep stuff readable for as little time as possible. Also, encrypt the meta-data. Hide what the data and meta-data was as carefully as possible. Off-site (encrypted) backups. A couple-of-dozen of them, in the self-destruct servers, randomly-switching between which sets of servers were used each time. And, other 'dirty tricks', like padding with random values, rearranging stored data, (remote) data dictionaries.

That protects the data, what about who can access it? All data (and meta-data) gets ownership meta-data, with only the owner being able to use it. The owner can 'publish' so others can use the newly-published data. Controlled lists of others. Access only allowed after access keys are fetched from off-site. All access logged off-site, encrypted, of course. All (meta) data treated as read-only, no update-in-place. Read-mostly data.

As heavy-handed as we can make it. Some (encrypted) low-grade AI in there, as well, to handle owner recognition. Oracle is really impressed.

We expect all that should, at the very least, slow 'red team', down.

---

A Fortnight of Colourful Scouting

A bit of time off. I grab Kory, and Garfield, drag them to Raven's world of many-coloured peoples. Resync'd Nurf decides not to go. We're... scouting. Yes, that's what it is. Making sure the place is safe. And, working on our swimming, and sun-bathing, staying in human form, relaxing. A fortnight.

If Kory and Garfield have some... fun together, who am I to complain? Kory "Understands the contraception", even with someone as soaked in life-energy as Garfield. I... just need some time, on my own, among people, to recover from my ship-time.

---

Terra-ble Training

Again, back at the Tower. I spend the afternoon with Terra. I'm talking her through enemy psychology, reinforcing the previous lessons.

And, as bait, I'm getting her to meditate on her power. Find its limits. See what sensory abilities she might be able to wring out of it.

After all, 'we're all made of stardust'. And, astronomers call everything but the simplest gasses 'metals'. So, can she stretch what she can sense, affect?

Can she 'do' concrete? Sand? You can do a lot with a few handfuls of abrasive sand...

The manic grin has got larger.

Yes, someone, somewhere, is in for a really bad time. Possibly including sand up the nostrils.

But, I make it quite clear. Here, she's got friends.

---

Robin the City

Evening. I'm going out with Robin. He's... subdued. I tell him, yes, he's still my friend.

But, why didn't he just come and ask me, if he wanted to know more about my background? All that'd cost him was me knowing he was interested. Surely he could've come-up with some logic why it would help everyone for him to know?

I do make it quite clear, if he pulls something like that again, I'm going to tell the whole team.

I'm pretty sure some of them wont be as willing to forgive as me. And, yes. Tonight in his dreams. I'll demonstrate why he needs to learn more 'spiritual flexibility'. All in the cause of good training, of course.

We have a productive evening. Things go well. A lucky stumble across a bar where some of the demon-fighting mercenaries seem to meet. A good place for later surveillance.

Then, Robin disappears.

I'm in deserted city. There's no chi, no spirits, no active-tech. Nothing. And, something magical, and big, is coming my way.

All goes black.

---

A cellar, I think.

I'm manacled to the wall. With really solid-looking chains. No cloak. No boots. No belts. In a magic binding, the symbols of which are beyond the reach of my legs. And... They look designed to bind my magical and psychic powers.

Rude word.

Help?

---

AN: Red Team, because you want people trying hard to test your stuff to breaking point.

AN: If your brain's inorganic, you might be drawn to think of HAL 9000...

AN: 'PK' is the abbrev...

AN: AGI; just to remind you.

AN: Could Geo be referencing What Happens In Vegas? Why? Could be to do with power...

AN: Stardust. Don't forget.

Spoiler: Some would call this a horror scene...

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Author Notes 7 - Geo's 'done' (Geo's birth)

End of story game mechanics wrap-up.

The game mechanics are one reason this story (started 4th May 2020) 'had' to end. Geo was a character in a pre-story tabletop role-playing game that's run since 2011 using the Hero System 5thEd rules. For further details of how she's changed during the course of the story, see Author Omake 1 and the previous Author Note.

Why do game mechanics direct the story to end? Well, strictly, they don't. But, the other two main characters in the pre-story game have reached certain point totals during the course of the game, and Geo is not supposed to over-shadow them. The (arbitrary) point limit for Geo was 400 total points. Actually, 403pts, as she started the story with 3 experience points.

---

The original character sheet for Geo, from 3rd June 2013, has her as a 20+25pt character, for a total of 45pts. For most Hero System games this would be considered pathetically weak, but she's a 'follower', for one of the main characters, her 'father', and cost him 4pts (20/5=4).

Most of her points were spent on being a robot, as the base Hero System character is a 'standard' (fit, adult) human, and they don't tend to come with things like built-in radios. Her Characteristics (things like strength, 'STR') total was -5pts, as many of her primary ones had been bought-down, to show she was worse than a standard human.

Worth noting is that her DEX (dexterity) and COM (comeliness) had been bought-up, to show her adequate reflexes and above-average good-looks. Ditto her SPD, PD and ED, combat-related secondary characteristics, to reduce her chance of accidentally dying around heroes. These increases were justified, in game-terms, by her design and construction.

Her (initial) Disadvantages were 'Distinctive Looks: Non-human', 'No Rights As A Person' and 'Does not recover BODY', for a total of 25pts. The first was about having a latex skin and things like her eyes and tongue not looking quite right, as well as she didn't smell human. Robots don't have human rights; if they're lucky they are 'property'. The third one is about combat mechanics, humans (slowly) recover from injury, she needs to be repaired.

Her 50pts (45+5=50; the extra 5pts are from Characteristics) are spent on (robot) 'Powers' and 'Skills'. Externally, her most obvious power is her pair of powerful (software) radios, which can cover a wide-range of frequencies. These are backed by her built-in cryptography capability, which means she can 'talk' to just about any kind of radio, including encrypted cell/mobile phone networks.

The rest of her powers cover her good memory, math abilities and time-sense. As well as not needing to sleep, being immune to a lot of diseases which affect humans, and not being affected by many poisons or chemicals that harm humans. Again, note, humans are the baseline for character design. Also a 'power' is her built-in test routines (like her bicycle-riding circuit), as these are a hard-wired part of her; 'firmware'.

As far as Skills go, she's worse than a human. A 'standard' human has Background/Everyman Skills based on the culture they were raised in (such as 20th/21stC Earth, UK/US, English). Humans get 'free' car-driving (or something like bicycle-riding), and can swim, in her 'native' (father's) culture; she can't do these.

As a (advanced) robot, she adds the new background skills of 'Computer Programming' and 'Systems Operation', while losing 'Paramedics' - she can work with computers, and operate radios, but doesn't know how to look-after a human body, what to do to stop bleeding, for example.

On the positive Skills side, she is more perceptive, spots things in her surroundings, better than her Characteristics would suggest, knows some of how humans behave, how her mind and body work, and has the ability to 'cram' a pair of (1pt) skills, without having to actually learn them. The last is about the (concealed) paired sockets on the back of her neck, where she can plug-in things like external skill chips.

The above is not her full design, it's just the bits which're 'modelled' with character points. What you see if her skin is cut, like red-light coming from cut fibre-optics, or why she needs to breathe air, for cooling, are part of her Background write-up. Also, a more detailed explanation of her Powers, Skills and Disadvantages explains their logic.

Also in the Background is her physical description, height, weight, build, skin, hair and eye colour. And, a bit more detail about how she varies from a human, her maintenance seam, what shows-up on X-rays, that her muscles are pneumatic. rather than servos.

Another unusual bit is something on the nature of her mind, how it varies from a human one, and the variety of AI that she's using.

Finally, there's her 'Wish List', which covers both ways she could develop, and after game-start where she's 'spent' experience points. For Geo this covers how her father might hope she would develop and how her player and referee thought things might go. Wish Lists are not a standard part of Hero System game-mechanics, but have been worked-out, over the years, by some gaming-groups.

---

AN: Well! That was longer than I expected. And, more detailed, too. Looks like I'll need (at least) a second one of these, covering how Geo has changed during the story.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 6

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls during Episode 60.

AN: Warning, social manipulation is described below.

---

Nurf looked at Geo. Lightly-dressed on the other divan. Reading, as she was.

Five-months down the line. Isolated, together, on the giant ship, in an apparently otherwise empty universe. She and Geo, who was both her captain and chief medical officer. Her ultimate 'command authority'. All wrapped-up in one (cute) package.

Geo was... Starting to crack. The drow romance stories had been the final straw. The ones rather lacking in male characters. A brilliant idea on her part.

---

She'd watched as Geo used her beacon, contacted her 'tech suppliers'. Exchanged wrecked bits of robots and her med-core for new parts, on a four-for-one basis. An... interesting way of doing business.

Things had gone pretty smoothly.

She'd followed Geo, across twisted dimensions, no idea how to get back to the med-bay, in the Tower, on her own. Yes, she had her own environment shield, just like Geo's, essential in crossing some of the more deadly worlds. But, dimension walking, she couldn't do that, had no idea how to learn.

The ship'd been a surprise. Kilometre-long, scaled for giants five-times human-size. All of wood. And, so, so, empty.

They'd worked hard, using supplies from Geo's dimensional pocket, set-up recycling, for food and water, even though they were floating in a sea of almost pure water. Then, studied the ship, which was still a mystery. Started the trade, old-for-new, as Geo set-up her alch-tech workshop. And she set-up 'house'.

Plenty of work, things to do, after a while they relocated from the deck, the wheelhouse, into a rope-hole. Now nicely furnished. The lighting varied to give them an Earth-style day-night cycle. And, they could always go up on deck.

There she worked with Geo to plan the trade, first priority all the spares for the med-bay. All now carefully packed, ritually stored, in Geo's 'pocket'. Then, later, Geo started to trade for parts to sketch her own med-bay, here.

It had been fun.

Until they started to run-out of things to do.

Geo had suggested going home, she'd held out for more time here, to 'decompress'. Told Geo they both needed time away from the Tower, the big fights almost certain to soon arrive.

Got Geo to teach her Tai Chi, round-out her meditation techniques. Explain more of Earth's culture.

Start to persuade Geo that wearing all those clothes, when it was only the two of us, here, was...

Silly.

---

Getting her own 'account' with the tech-suppliers had been necessary.

Then, with Geo off, testing the air and water, yet again, she'd talked to them.

Explained that it was her med-core parts that'd been traded, by Geo. And, that she wanted... some control over the books that Geo'd been talking about ordering.

First, a selection of general books, in Elven. Then, teach-yourself-Elven books. She was tiring of having to borrow Geo's translation talisman. Then, books on elven (drow) culture. Finally, fiction, with a heavy bias towards romance.

She'd been (just) a helpful companion, for months.

Now, the occasional 'accidental' brush, hand on arm, maybe leg. Warm glances, that she was slowly making hotter. Getting Geo to read the 'more difficult parts', to her, as she improved her Elven.

She'd hundreds of years of practice. In seducing her captains. She wasn't allowed to initiate anything, but, she could drop hints. And, she'd got a human-sized body to work with, rather than a metre-tall servitor.

Hopefully her blue-skin and blonde-hair wouldn't be a problem.

Geo was... naive.

Quite inexperienced, almost certainly had never been in a relationship. Was... a genuinely nice person. Much nicer than almost all her previous captains.

If nothing else, Geo needed to understand the... torch she was carrying for Oracle. That she was in love, certainly on an intellectual level. That Oracle and Geo needed each other.

Geo needed life-experience. An affair, a physical romance, would be a good start. And, Oracle wasn't here, so...

Soon, Geo would be hers!

---

AN: Nurf has certain... expectations of her captains...

AN: Warning, social manipulation is described above.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 61

Trapped. Helpless. Stripped of cloak, boots, belts.

I've had better days...

There's always the appeal to Raven, 'Send me home', but it's not that bad. Yet.

They've not been... completely thorough. I'm still wearing (thin) gloves. I'd decided to wear them, out-and-about with Robin. And, I'm still wearing those rings, underneath. The regeneration and the cat's eye one.

Currently, I can't see in the dark. And the cat's eye ring should let me. So... Concentrate, reach deep, find my magic. Feed a little trickle of power. And, I can see!

---

In the darkness, beyond the (faint) circle of light that I now realise I'm in is an... older man. He's in classic wizard robes, bare-head with a few wisps of hair, clean-shaven, and, I think, white skin. Hard to be certain, cat's don't do colour, well. I think.

He's watching me, with half-hooded eyes, in... quite a creepy way. Is holding one of my boots in his hands, with my belt knife. The rest of my equipment piled on a small table, next to him.

"Ah. I'm glad you've joined us. I was afraid the fetch had hit you too hard. Pity you're not Raven Trigon-daughter. You stink of her magic, so I'm sure you're her apprentice."

He takes a big sniff, leaning over the table, apparently concentrating on my robe. Or is it a cloak? I can't be bothered! I know what it is! Yes, it's creepy.

"I suppose I should introduce myself. You'd be 'Sugoi', I'm 'Pure'. I've been watching you, since you tripped my little trap, in that mall. My, you've grown since then! Your master's veils, yes they're subtle, but I've watched every move you've made outside her tower."

Her tower? He means Titan's Tower? I... don't think he understands what's going on. But, I'm not going to stop him monologuing.

"Your mercenaries, yes they've entertained my demons. Even killed a few. Your ally, the elder magi, she's avoided me, though her cunning binding around the city... Clever work, hiding it's nature so it looks like the god-daughter's, Raven."

Ohhh... Kay... Fruitcake detected. I don't know what he's talking about.

"The master. I may not be able to sense my previous master, Garlic, and, don't you think 'Pure' is a better name than 'Puree'? The master, Trigon, he led me to this world, pointed me to the weaknesses in the magic of this body."

He taps his chest. He's possessing someone?

"And, the master loaned me his servants. Told me I must... respect the dignity of his daughter. Which is why you're still dressed. I've just taken your outer clothing. For your... comfort, of course!"

Master Roshi spoke of a 'Garlic', and a 'Garlic Jnr.', enemies of the defenders of his world. I'm guessing there's a connection...

Why is he caressing my boot in that obscene fashion? Sniffing at it?

"Ahhh! I can smell your love for this humble foot-covering. How you treasure it. So... I will not lay a finger on you, but..."

He holds my knife, next to my boot. My Best Boot!

"Your footwear, that may not fare so well..."

---

My boot is injured, cut with my knife, I... might have let out the odd cry. But, I've not broken.

"You can see I'm serious. Now. You will tell me all the secrets of your master, Raven. Let's start with the secret key, to the veils about her tower..."

No. I won't do it. Even if he starts carving me, rather than my boot. Also, I don't know of any 'key'.

What did Master Roshi say? What was that attack? The secret one he showed me?

I move my stockinged feet, cup them, focus my chi, a pale-blue glow starts to seep out through my skin, my hair stirs in a breeze that's not there.

"Kammee..."

Concentrate, focus. Build the power.

"No! You're a Raven pawn! A magi! No one... No one..."

"Hammeee..."

"No one would be mad enough to train a magi in those arts!"

"Ha!"

The golden glow washes-out from my feet, gathers for a moment, punches through the magic circle. He raises a mage-shield, his bracelets glow, My golden glow builds-up before him. Then, bursts through his shield, throwing him against the far wall.

It's... Lighter. I can smell... fish. Hear... the sounds of the night city.

Focus. Reach within. Focus my chi. Rip the now-rusty chains from the crumbling wall. I think, with his defeat, I'm back from that unpeopled shadow dimension.

Stand.

Limp over to him. This is not a floor for stockinged feet. My chi is drained. Freeing myself took the last dregs. I doubt I can levitate.

He's... rather singed, thoroughly unconscious. And... a mist rises from him, drifts off. In his place is an ancient-looking woman, dressed in a vaguely witch-y fashion. Also, thoroughly unconscious.

My boot... My Best Boot. It will not walk, kick, stomp, again. Though, its fellow is intact. Probably a good job I've got another couple of pairs, back at the Tower. And, maybe, repair is possible.

"Robin? I could do with some help here?"

I pause to see if he'll answer my (encrypted) radio hail.

"Where did you go? Are you OK?"

"It's a bit of a story. Follow my locator beacon. For now. Out."

---

Robin doesn't get to experience my spiritual training, this night. Pity.

We appear to have captured someone called 'Mother Mae-Eye', who's a quite unpleasant witch. Allegedly a cannibal. Assuming she's human, that is.

Raven says she'll take her off to... a sort of magical hospital, I think it is. In another world. One where she's wanted for various crimes. Like... Lets just say she needs to be loved by children. And, she's very fond of pies.

At the moment she's suffering from long-term possession. And, she's old enough that her magic is what normally keeps her healthy, but that's at a very low ebb. She may not live. Pity.

As for Pure, Raven got-out Puppet King, from his glass box, used his remains to dowse for him. Seems he's either not in this dimension, or hidden behind very strong defences. Or, something else. Hopefully, some time before he regains his strength.

We can also hope that... Trigon's disappointed with him. No sign of Trigon's demons in the city. But, we couldn't locate them before.

One enemy down?

---

AN: Cat's Eyes; Geo is not an expert on cats, so, she's allowed to make mistakes!

AN: Fetch, just so you know... The term's been abused, quite a bit, so Pure's probably misusing it.

AN: 'Nutty as a fruitcake' is what Geo means by 'fruitcake'... She's normally more polite about people...

AN: I think some would claim Geo's just fought a Mini-Boss...

AN: 'Pure' is an OC, and is supposed to be a 'classic' Dragonball villain. You defeat one, then, later, your son has to fight his son, or his pupil, or his android penguin... (I made that last one up! I think...)

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 62

Out in the city. Poking around. With the whole team. Which includes Terra.

What has removing Pure from the scene changed?

Cyborg suggested we fly over. Either in the Titan Copter or the Titan Plane. This interests me, because no one's ever mentioned these, in my hearing. Robin points-out they've been gathering dust for a long time. Might a bit of maintenance be a good idea before they're taken out?

Cyborg grumbles a bit, but agrees. So, we're flying, or on foot.

The fliers are: Terra on her rock, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy as a bird, and (slowest) me. On foot are: Cyborg, and Robin. Though, Robin's using a swing-line, where he can. And, I'm landing, running to catch-up, every so often. So, just Cyborg. Which is a bit sad.

He's back in his original body, the one with all the metal. Raven didn't need to help, the med-bay life-mover did the job, neatly. He was, I think... disappointed. Had really enjoyed his time in his living-skinned robot. Mumbled something about using it, later, to check-out the club scene.

We're, chatting, silently. Using encrypted radio comms. A private channel. I catch him moving his lips, once or twice, he's not as practised as me. But, I guess it's my 'native language'.

The city is... pretty quiet. We get photographed, a few times. I think due to there being seven of us, not five. And, we seem to be looking for trouble.

There's a bank robbery. In a similar, classic, style to the one I first saw in the city. A green elephant sitting on the get-away car upsets the driver. The robbers run out of the bank, look at us, drop their guns, put-up their hands. Smart, I think.

The police promptly tidy-up. I think they've had a car, following us.

---

A pale girl with purple hair, purple cat-eyes, pops-up. She's got a red-headed big guy, strange eyes, with her. 'Mammoth', I'm told later, and she's 'Jinx'. They... don't last long. I watch, along with Terra, as they efficiently get demolished. The police have a special unit that takes them away.

A large bike gang drive-up, with a big impressive-looking leader. Stop. Talk quietly among themselves. I think I overhear the name 'Larry'. Drive-off. Cyborg and Beast Boy high-five each other.

So, quiet day.

---

As we're heading-back there's a call from the Tower.

Nurf says the place was attacked, while we were away. A small horde of robots, and while those were being dealt with a short guy, with a jet-pack and various high tech, tried to get into Cyborg and my labs.

We arrive back to find the robots in a broken-pile, with Nurf, sorry, 'Doctor Blue', and Master Roshi next to them.

Doctor Blue, in her lab-coat, with googles, floats in the air, has her electro-rod, crackling with energy. Master Roshi is just standing there, a harmless old man, with his colourful shirt, shorts, sunglasses and bandy legs.

Might be fun to salvage those robots... I'd prefer to think they weren't intelligent...

Inside, we make our way up to the labs. The doors are a little blackened, but still sealed. A dark shadow with far too many teeth is carefully holding a... child? I think he's just rather short. 'Gizmo', I'm told.

Raven looks a little smug. Mentions she put a guardian in the Tower, only active when none of us was present. Including Nurf and Master Roshi. Pats the shadow, tell it that it's a 'Good Boy'. It spits-out Gizmo.

We decide to have lunch. A police boat takes away Gizmo, with all his gadgets in a separate bag.

---

After lunch I get the bad news. Raven wants my robe. We agree, it's far past the time she should've checked it over. More than a year, in fact. It... doesn't want to leave me.

We study the problem. Seems to be tied to my anti-possession amulet, and the weird focus-stone that I use for my Third Eye. Never did find out where that stone came from, Raven concentrates, focuses, then twists her hands in a strange, eye-hurting, way.

There's a weird sound, then the Third Eye focus-stone disappears, with a pop. Raven's holding my robe, the amulet. Looking surprised.

"Give me a moment." She disappears.

Maybe thirty-seconds and she's back.

"That stone just went back in time, to when you first needed it. I... think we'd better find a substitute. That sort of thing's not safe."

I nod.

"Oh, you might like these. 'Secret identity' glasses. I stole the idea from someone. They help you stay 'in character'."

She grins. Puts them on. They've got heavy, black, rims, and totally change the look of her face.

"Lets me see through them, from where-ever I am, with your permission, of course. Warn me if you're in danger. And, give you X-ray vision, the see-through clothes, and stuff, type, as though the thing looked at was normally illuminated. Blocked by lead." A... wink.

"White. A fun little project of mine. No, Garfield does not get to 'try them out'. I may let you keep them, but, for now, have them while I have your robe." Hands them to me.

That's... interesting. Yes, she is evil. Unless I figure-out how to add the X-ray capability to my Third Eye I can only use it in my secret identity. Sneaky.

I wonder if she's been entertaining herself by peering through the dimensions again?

Not at colourful-ponies, this time. I think...

---

Paperwork.

I don't mind paperwork, but this involves lawyers. The Bank of Mammon could do all the work, for me, but they recommended a local, trustworthy, firm. A lot cheaper. Apparently this is 'financially prudent', which they approve of. But, obviously, makes them less money.

Weird.

My flip cell-phone project is going well, sample batches have been sold in three cities, including Metropolis. Sold-out. Nationwide roll-out to follow. Bank account looking quite healthy, and I've major stock options.

Someone has arranged for 'Robot Girl', the underground celebrity, to appear on a talk-show. A note from Oracle suggests I go along with this, as it might help repair my reputation. Including among hackers. Maybe even robot otaku. So, plans need to be made.

There appears to be a bidding war between Lexcorp, Wayne Industries and Queen Industries. For my new line of robot dogs, with AI. Which I didn't know I had. Another note from Oracle says she knows nothing of this, but she has her suspicions. Suggests that I 'be careful'. I need to be intact for our weekend date. Joy.

And... Just when I think the paperwork is finished... There's a Lexcorp regional sales rep, downstairs, wants to talk to me.

Double Joy.

---

Lexcorp. Pushy salesman. Hypno watch. Raven rescue.

I think that's a reasonable summary.

More interesting was the three-way shouting match, I found in the lobby, when the ambulance boat took the Lexcorp idiot away on a stretcher. He was wearing white underwear, by the way. Raven, Zatanna, and an older woman who somewhat resembles Zatanna.

As I came in the older woman paused, looked at me, and shouted.

"Abomination!"

---

Apparently, she's Zatanna's aunt.

Local representative (West Coat) of the Homo Magi hard-liners, the ones that believe only they should be allowed to use magic. They really don't like people like Doctor Fate, like Raven even less, and... Apparently I'm a monster.

Somehow, they've worked-out I started as a robot. By magic, I guess. Robots are really way down their popularity list, below even things like demons. Demons can be useful.

Aunty's been hanging-around Jump City, for a while. Ready to... deal with me, once I do something particularly odious with magic.

Zatanna... isn't happy with her aunt. Says she caught her helping-out an evil wizard called 'Pure'. I wonder who that is?

Oh? Is my British sarcasm showing? How embarrassing!

Aunty's been cleaning-up after the fights between Pure's demons and some mercenaries. Hoping this'd draw me out, so I could be 'tidied up'.

I... don't understand the logic, there.

Zatanna...

Apparently she's here to apologise to Raven. Explain how she divined that helping her would cause disaster, and it wasn't even safe to explain that. Until, some prophecy was fulfilled. And... she looks at me, as she says that.

Awkward.

So, not friends, but, maybe no longer enemies?

And, the aunt, apparently there's Homo Magi politics to be done. She was really not supposed to get this close to Raven. Men will argue in smoke-filled rooms, while sipping spirits, and 'decisions' will be made.

Not the quiet afternoon I might've been hoping for...

And, my 'secret identity' glasses didn't work on Zatanna or her aunt...

---

AN: Wot? No Author Notes?

AN: OK, I lied.

AN: Aunty (Zatanna's aunt) is an OC member of Homo Magi. And, the 'hard liners' are my creation. Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 63

Turns out the attacking robots were Lexcorp covert ops ones. That'd been 'stolen' from a Lexcorp warehouse. Best guess is they were a diversion for Gizmo. Hope he got paid, up-front.

The design is... Fascinating. Empty metal shells. Not wanting to take them further into the Tower I dolly the Synthesiser (quicker than using my dimensional pocket) down to the garage, do really careful detailed scans on each one. Clever work, I nearly miss it among the electrical and chi damage.

Most just look burned on the inside, a few look to have been smashed, in just the right way. Those've incredibly-fine tracing on the insides, in patterns I recognise as holography. Holographic circuitry is seriously advanced alch-tech, I never expected to see it on this world. Parallel tech evolution?

Looks like the circuits were supposed to self-erase if damaged. And, only luck preserved some. I'm... not skilled enough to figure them out, so I fudge-together a holographic camera, take as good images as I can.

Reluctantly, after checking with Victor, decide to erase the remains of the circuits. He warns that if I don't, and they end-up in a junk yard, a rat might evolve into a tech-god, or something. Weirder things have happened...

---

Another full-team patrol. Less photographs, this time. I think I spot two police cars and a 'special van' following us.

We have the big punch-up with Slade. His mercenaries at the front, armed with their weird (sonic) weapons. Cyborg holding-up an elaborate high-tech sphere. And, all goes silent.

'A sonic suppressor', he radio-telepaths to team members.

The mercenaries throw their (sonic) grenades, shoot their (sonic) weapons, and nothing happens, except Cyborg's sphere glows brighter. Various Titans move forward (silently) grinning. As the mercenaries look towards Slade we all realise he's not here any more. But, neither is Terra.

Surrendering occurs.

---

Terra isn't answering her team radio. But, we've a strong suspicion what's going on. At the bar Robin and I found there's some off-duty mercenaries. They're remarkably cooperative, as Cyborg points-out there's no direct evidence they're with Slade, and, oh, isn't this a large cheque for 'services rendered'?

They brief us, apparently originally Slade and Pure were allies, Pure provided the covert magical talisman Terra was carrying. But, Robin was supposed to be off-limits during Pure's possession-imp attack, and because he wasn't, war broke out between them. Also, we get directions to Slade's main base.

Slade's base is in a old water tower, armoured within, force-fields, attack drones, the lot. We get to Terra, who's bolted to a wall, gagged. She's lacking her harness, belt and gloves - someone has turned her magical control-bracelets up to 'maximum suppression'.

Slade taking lessons from Pure? Is Pure working with Slade again?

Terra explains she chased Slade, lost him, found him again, attacked, and was then snipe'd, she thinks, with a tranq round. The 'Slade' she attacked was a body-double; he did get a bit 'sandy'.

I apologise to Terra, give her the magic ring I made for her on the Ship. Briefly explain that while she's wearing it 'Earth magic' will keep her from actually dying, and she will (eventually) heal, from any injury. Only major fire and strong acid will kill her. Now she has the last bit of power that she lost. Oh, and it only works for her.

She cheers-up, and if that grin was any wider her head would fall-off.

The rest of the team give me a bit of a funny look. I shrug, and all seems to be accepted.

Back to the Tower. To find Zatanna outside, with a tall, heavily-built elderly woman, wrapped in glowing bands. Who doubles as a 'can we call off the feud?' gift. And is a disguised Slade.

She and Raven shake hands. Very carefully. Robin stands over Slade, watching him. Suddenly, Cyborg grabs at Slade, rips away something at his waistline.

"I detected an energy build-up". he explains. And, crushes a small gadget. My tech-sight tells me it used to be a teleport focus/trigger. Would've been fun to study...

Next to figure-out who to turn Slade over to. He's made a lot of enemies, few friends, over the years...

Though Zatanna took me to one side, apologised for the behaviour of her aunt, asked me... why, last time we met, it felt like Raven's magic was trying to see through her clothes, whenever I looked at her...

But, that's unimportant!

Enemy number two, down?

At least we have a quiet afternoon.

---

Evening.

My, live, tv talk-show appearance. Stayed-up a good part of the night preparing for this. I'm to be interviewed in the last slot, so there's previous C-list 'celebrities' in the other seats to reflect off. None of them robot experts, like I'd asked for. Really, really, not something I'm looking-forward to.

I've made agreements with the show director, and support team. Get to wait, in the wings, within a dark cowl until it's my turn.

I'm... not impressed by the show. Cheap laughs and low culture, though no direct insults. I'd rather be home, reading a book. Though, the band's not bad.

My turn, shrug-off cowl, smile and wave as I walk out. Surprisingly, I get a cheer from part of the audience. Mostly young men, some look Japanese, though there's a few (mostly nerdy-looking) girls.

They're also mostly wearing badges, which depict a number of different Japanese anime or manga robots. And I get cheered by a few older-looking men, mostly looking like engineers, there's some university professors, men and women. Very few of them're with robot badges.

And, a grinning redhead wearing dark glasses. A seeing-eye guide-dog sitting next to her. Nice of her to attend.

The usual inane questions.

In answer to one I stand-up, do a standing forward tumble, land neatly on my feet. Phew! Wasn't sure I could pull that off. And, my glasses stayed in place!

Bow to the audience. Get cheered. Take my seat again.

The presenter... isn't happy. I'm beginning to suspect he wasn't fully briefed by the director.

"So, Miss Terious, why do you think robots are valuable? Anything but a threat to society? Something we should have harsh laws against?"

He leans forwards. Intent on my reaction.

"I'm sure robots have great value to society. Can fill all sort of roles, work well alongside humans."

"And, why are you so sure of that?"

"Because, you've been staring at me, all evening, and..."

I stand up, half-facing him, making sure audience and cameras get a good look. Roll-up my shirt, revealing a distinct lack of skin on my stomach.

"I, am a robot." And I slump, arms dangling.

---

There's shouting, cheers, the odd scream.

I stand-up from where I'm sitting, apparently unnoticed, in the audience, wave the large, illuminated, keyboard, that I'd been concealing, on my lap, under an unseasonable coat. Push-up the goggles I'm wearing onto my forehead. Don my 'secret identity' glasses.

Someone hands me a microphone, as I turn to face most of the audience. The front-row will have to do with my back. A spotlight hits me.

"I was controlling the robot, which you'll see looks a lot like me, from the audience. Seeing through her eyes using these goggles. I've been working with the Teen Titans, their technical expert, Cyborg. Making robots we hope will help humanity. Go places too dangerous for humans, into fires, plagues, nuclear danger sites, disaster areas."

I pause, it gets a little quieter. Notice a man with a headset, one of the support staff, grinning, giving me a thumbs-up.

"The humans can hang-back, remote-control the robots, until they're sure it's safe enough. If robots are wrecked, it will cost money, but no human lives will be lost. A safer future. And, no, these robots are not suitable for military purposes. For... technical reasons."

I notice my robot double's been moved-off the stage. There seems to be a shouting match going on, between the presenter and the director. Guess he wasn't warned. The director's waving a pink piece of paper, in an aggressive manner. I catch a snatch of it, "... replace me with a robot?".

"We'll be having a press conference, soon. But, you heard it here, first!"

Cheers! I hand the microphone back.

Somehow Barbara gets me out of there, mostly intact. The show's director told me my 'fans' had roughly doubled the expected audience size. And, he'd be in contact, later.

Escape. After we've both changed clothes, our old clothes carried-off, by a dog, in a backpack. A large, toothed, shadow, swallows some of the other props. Put my robot-self on the back of the R-Cycle, behind a helmeted Robin. Then, go.

For the rest of our date.

---

I've woken in the night, but not awoken. I'm standing, next to my sleeping body, full Sugoi garb. Something attracted my attention.

Instinct lead me to the lounge. It's lit by a strange green light. Video games are being played, and there's a pale-blue ghost of Victor, holding a spectral controller, and an immense green thing, that keeps growing and losing bits.

But, has human hands, holding the second, ghostly, controller.

Victor looks like his living-robot self, no metal bits. Looks a bit embarrassed. The green monster... doesn't seem to be really conscious.

Then, he grows a possession-imps's head, and I recall the crunching sound, we heard from his room, that night. Mention this.

"You are what you eat?", Victor shrugs. "I thought I'd try sleeping in my robot, after I got back from a fun night clubbing. Found my spirit standing next to my sleeping robot. Weird. Did you build-in astral sleep-walking?"

"I... didn't think so..."

"Don't worry. Nice feature!"

He gestures at the monster, which seems to be controlling... something in a simple video game. Not one I know.

"He was wandering the corridors, sniffing at doors, moving on. I thought I'd see if some gaming would settle him down. OK?"

And, he gestures at my clothes. "How come you're dressed, and we aren't?"

"There's a trick to learn. I'll teach you."

Get a thumbs-up.

And, I've... not really got anything to say. But...

"Booyah?"

---

AN: Dolly; guess which one.

AN: You probably know more about celebrity culture than I do...

AN: 'Pink slip' is apparently a US term...

AN: I wish to inform anyone interested that this completing the roster of naked Teen Titans (you can assume there's been a naked Kory, at some point) is a total coincidence. Honest!

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 64

AN: This episode's complex, so it's split into (named) sub-episodes.

---

Sisters Breakfast

Someone new's joined us for breakfast, following Nurf in. A woman with bronze-skin and red-hair.

"This is 'Sonya', my other self. I'm your medical technician, Sonya is my... wilder side."

Sonya comes up to the table, kisses Raven on the cheek.

There is silence.

"I hope that was a daughterly kiss", is the response, "I've been thinking about how you arrived here", and Raven nods at Nurf, "come to the conclusion that, in some ways, you're my daughter. So, I expect proper respect!".

Sonya looks at Nurf, who shrugs, "Better be nice to Mom, sister".

Garfield's doing his silly jaw-drop trick. "When did you have a daughter? Two?".

Raven... colours a bit. "Magic sometimes gets... complicated."

End of breakfast, she takes me to one side. Asks me how I'm getting along with my 'secret identity' glasses.

I colour a bit. She looks at me, a bit smugly.

"Magic, it's important you learn when not to use it, as well as when to use it." She grins, widely.

"With great power comes great responsibility."

Hmmmh.

---

Graduation

Training with Master Roshi. No Robin, today. I give an account of my fight with Pure, he nods several times during. Explain how my chi hasn't fully recovered. Yet.

"Congratulations! You just graduated. You're no longer my student."

He gives me a gap-toothed grin.

"Thanks?"

"As you're no longer my student my agreement with Our Lady is finished. You might like to know she won our wager. I thought, 'She's just a flat-chested snot-nosed kid, no way will I fall in love with her', but, I was wrong." He sighs.

What?!?

"I still owe you a debt. I choose, now, to repay it."

He reaches out, with a finger, bops me on the nose, straight through all the defences of my returned robe. I feel a surge of chi, fill me, replace what I lost, and more. I feel... more alive.

And, he wavers on his feet, looks pained.

"Now, a part of me will always be in you."

And collapses, to leave just his clothes, with the sunglasses on top. No chi. Gone, totally gone.

Nothing. Left. At. All.

Nothing to shout at.

Bleep him!

---

Power-up

I've checked. Really carefully. I'm not pregnant.

He may've been dead, but I wouldn't put it past him. Given his command of chi.

My basic life-force seems to be stronger, though.

Sitting in the lounge. Having a quiet drink, a few English biscuits. Recovering. Sonya is there, quietly reading, and... I don't want to know what the book is.

Garfield comes in. Sonya waggles her eyebrows at him. He blushes, and resolutely ignores her. I hear a whisper from her, "Seduction resistance training"; I'm not convinced.

"Victor told me about last night. How I'm sleep-walking as a green monster spirit. It's... a bit weird."

"Yes. I taught Victor a few tricks, like how to look like his waking body, and how to be clothed. Sorry, can't teach you anything till you get a lot better control."

Big sigh. "More meditation... Say, can you teach me any tricks? You gave Terra that ring, I want a power-up!"

"Lets go to the gym..."

---

I walk back in, a while later. What's different is there's a green-skinned, green-haired, version of me, in Beast Boy's clothes, walking beside me.

Sonya looks over, does a double-take, pauses, wipes her lower lip. I carefully don't hear her whisper "Twins!".

"This is hard work!", remarks my double, in my voice. Then, she slumps, and Garfield stretches his limbs.

I get a meaningful glance from Sonya.

"He's 'Beast Boy'. Can take the shape of any animal. Humans are animals. I'm one example of human."

Her eyes narrow.

"Look. Super-powers. You try things, see what works. Might be useful, some day."

Garfield gets a soda, opens it, sits down, a far-away look in his eyes.

"I can amoeba, split in two, more. Each shift to different humans? Do I get their powers? The prank potential..."

---

Divine Truth

Donna comes in the room. She's not visited since not long after I arrived.

"I've got a query from Wonder Woman, her... relatives want to know, why have you've got a god in your basement?"

We look at each other, though I notice Sonya's mostly focused on Donna. Does she whisper "Booty..."? No...

"She's... not really a god, goddess. She's had some funny experiences. I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to be a god. But it's a work in progress." Did I sound too tentative?

Sonya gets up, moving... smoothly, not a single wasted motion. Walks over to Donna, with... a certain sway in her hips.

Donna watches her, with an uncertain expression. "There's some Amazons that move, walk, like that. You... need to be careful around them."

Sonya smiles, her white teeth a good contrast against her darker lips. "I'm quite safe. I happen to know the 'goddess', quite well. I'm sure she'd be happy to talk to you. Why don't we go down to the basement, so... you can make a full report?"

I'm really surprised Sonya didn't lick her lips, or... do something to Donna as they leave. I hope Nurf will help protect Donna's virtue.

Garfield looks at me.

"Well. That happened."

---

Communication

"I've... got the impression I'll need to go home, soon."

I'm with Victor, in his lab. He's in Cyborg form. I'm in civilian clothes, though I've taken off my glasses. We've been discussing the separation of 'Geo' from 'Sugoi', in terms of how people will see the Tower.

"I'll, we'll all, miss you. When are you planning on telling the rest of the team?"

"Pretty sure Raven knows, she's been giving me little hints about 'graduation' for some time, now. Nurf told me she can 'feel something big coming'. The rest, it's probably best it's a surprise. If they haven't guessed. We might need them to act naturally."

"You trust me to be a good enough actor?"

I lean forwards, put my hand on his. "You're a good enough friend I couldn't just leave you hanging. The rest can cope."

He looks embarrassed. I continue.

"I'll really miss you. You're like the big brother I never had."

Now, he looks really embarrassed.

I hand him a small box.

"Probably best to give this to you, now. It's a version of my communication collar, that gives me twin encrypted-radios, linked to my mind, both in human and living-skinned robot form. I've enchanted it so it doesn't have the comms issues of a real-world radio, it's keyed to just you. Your spirit." I pause.

"You can wear it on your living-skinned robot, or your alternate fully-human form. If you ever get that sorted with Nurf."

He reaches forward, takes my hand in both of his (metal) ones.

"Thank you."

"Also, go talk to Nurf, give her the pass-phrases, 'Live Long and Prosper' and 'Scottie'. Get yourself a life-magnet profile set-up, a clone started. You're a bit too fragile for my tastes. Then, if you die, and don't want to 'move on', come back to the Tower, Nurf will put you back on your feet."

His eyes are wide. "How?"

"Let's say... there's some features of the med-bay I've not told anyone else about."

"Now." I pull back, clap my hands.

"We've got all the force-field generators emplaced, and tested. Services umbilicals look good. And the power systems are solid, though I'd like more fusion cores in stock. I want to work-through the gravity control, and the atmosphere and space manoeuvring, systems of the Tower. I'll leave you to mull-over the FTL options. Just-in-case, things go really badly wrong."

---

Pure Fantasy

I'm in my room, privately meditating. Trying to settle my mind. But, regets, things undone, keep disturbing me.

Raven 'knocks' on my door. I will it to open (via radio, you know).

She has two boxes, and a wide grin.

"I told you'd I'd raised trap-wards? That capture anyone entering or leaving the Tower by... unusual means?"

"Yes..."

"In this box", she raises the glass box with the remains of Puppet King, "is our trophy. In this box..", she raises a similar box, but made of what I've learned to be sensitive to, lead. Covered in magical bindings. Really, really, impressive ones.

She waits for me to inspect it. "This has a near-identical puppet, with a possession-demon cunningly bound within it. I captured this puppet, when an attempt was made to do an exchange. And, now, as I guessed might happen, there's an extra spirit. One who found a 'hole in my defences'. One who thought he'd got a final, trump, card to play."

The grin grows wider. "We've got a lot to do, later, but I thought we could spare a little time. Hold your ear near the box, listen carefully."

I do. And, there's a faint voice I recognise.

"Let me out of here! You fools, soon the Master, Trigon, will come, and he will free me!"

There's also the sound of small, wooden, fists, hammering on a box.

From the inside.

---

Presents for Everyone!

We're in Kory's room. Somewhere I've rarely been. Except astrally. Kuro-chan looks at me from the bed, from the middle of the soft-toy horde. I'm sure there's more than just a Raven-garbed teddy-bear there.

Kory is curious, but waiting to see what I want to say.

"You're better at astral projection than me. Have it under full control. That's because, for you, it's a psionic, not a psychic, power."

She nods.

"Your kiss-to-learn-a-language, that's a psionic power, touch-telepathy, highly specialised. Now, I understand you've met a 'Miss Martian', a skilled telepath. You might want to ask her for training, improve your mental defences, see if there's anything else psionic you can learn."

I'm being hugged. Really hard. The robe is saving my ribs.

"I'll miss you. Friend Geo."

---

Virgin on the Ridiculous

"We need a virgin sacrifice. It's the only way to be sure."

"A willing one", Raven quickly adds.

The team look at each other, Sonya snickers. She's here 'representing Nurf's interests'. Ha!

Raven furrows her brow. "A male one, of course."

Cyborg and Beast Boy shake their heads. Eyes turn to Robin. He swallows.

"And, it'd help if the woman was... a lot older than the sacrifice."

"Dibs!" Two voices ring out, nearly as one. Sonya just beat Terra.

"I could pretend to be older? I'm a good actor?" A hopeful voice from Terra.

Robin looks, in a concerned way, between the two of them.

"Actually...", a thoughtful Raven, "There might be a far better prospect..." An image of an athletic man appears, in the air.

"I called 'Dibs'", says Sonya, firmly.

Terra wrinkles her nose. Looks over at Robin, looks him up and down, thoughtfully.

He blushes.

I hope he remembers Master Roshi's warning...

---

Preparations

It's just Raven and me. Hanging in the air. A dimension that looks like an off-the-air tv channel, all shifting static. A faint hiss of white noise, in the background.

Before us Control Freak, in his element, a place that's his. The only way he'd agree to meet. Raven's delegated negotiation to me, after we'd wrung as much intelligence as we could, out of Cyborg and Beast Boy.

"It's a chance for you to be a hero. To tell the story of your great deeds."

Not a flicker. No interest.

"The whole world will owe you a debt?" That got a raised eyebrow.

Risk it.

"Beautiful women will throw themselves at your feet! Or... other bits of your anatomy!" He blushes.

Got him!

"What... sort of beautiful women? I'd... like some examples. Make it... less theoretical."

Raven generates an image. It (briefly) animates.

He swallows. "You're on."

---

Spirit of Friendship

"We've not always been friends."

Robin nods to me.

"But I owe you a lot. I doubt I'd have survived without your training."

He looks down. "I was only doing my duty, for the team".

I reach out, use a finger, gently lift his chin up. A trick I learned from Nurf, in our year on the Ship.

"It was more than that. You were my friend. But, you're a good enough detective to have figured-out I likely wont be here, at the end of this."

"Yes."

"I... think there's a chance you're falling for Terra, and visa versa. Nothing wrong with that. But, remember what Master Roshi warned you. 'Love' is a big danger to you, unless you can fix your problems."

Clenched jaw. Stone-face.

"Your business. Your life. But, try and not wreck anyone else's while you live it. Do not forget the whole shaman/spirit bit."

A reluctant nod.

"Lets go and face the music."

---

Trigon

We look up. An immense figure. Waves of power flow-out, battering our resolve. We've no chance.

First, we went to Azaroth. Too late. At first it looked beautiful, though deserted. Then that changed, we saw destroyed city, shadows burned on walls, only the central temple intact.

There, Raven met her mother, spoke with her. I couldn't hear what was said. And, a dove flew away. No one left.

Raven turns to us. "He'll be coming for Earth, next, We'll need to fight him."

---

Millions have died, billions to follow, whole countries, continents, wrecked. Raven and I walk forward, to meet her father.

"I was supposed to be your Key. Your route to Earth, mastery of it. But, I stood against you, resisted you. You had to force your way in here."

A rumbling voice, like an earthquake that speaks.

"Disloyal daughter. Yes, I will only gain a fraction, maybe a quarter, of what power I deserved, if you had followed the Purpose for which you were born. Now, I Am Here. Bow before me, and I may spare your friends."

I swallow, raise my voice. "You cannot defeat us. We will stand against you to the end! Our friendship cannot be broken by you!"

There's a blur, and Raven is held in his right hand, me in his left. He looks at me.

"How will this 'friendship' protect you, while I hold you in my hand?" A volcano would have better breath.

"You cannot hold me! With a word I can break your grip!"

Bands of metal and magic bind his hands, holding Raven and I immobile. He grins in a particularly nasty way.

"And would that word be 'Love'?"

"No. Now!"

Raven obviously gathers herself, her power swells, peaks, even as she's bound in his hand. He watches her with proud interest.

"My Apprentice, You Are Banished."

---

AN: Analogue/CRT tv noise/static; there's online videos of hours of this...

AN: I guess you could call that a cliff-hanger...

AN: How much power did Raven put into Geo's banishment? Have you heard the phrase, 'everything and the kitchen sink'? (In some versions the sink's left out.)

AN: I will quite understand if some are upset about this being the 'Final Episode' (except for the Epilogue). Will point out, though, this story is about 'Raven's Apprentice', not, 'The Fall of Trigon'. And, yes, there's a 'method in my madness'.

Spoiler: This (classic) is here because I wanted it to be!

(Fireball XL5, launch sequence, 1962)

Some people are (still) fans of Venus... Though, some prefer Steve.
And, some are in love with the ship.
We will not talk of those who prefer Robbie (the Robot).

This is your grandparent's science fiction.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Final Warning - End of Story

This episode, 'Sacrifice Robin!', Episode 64, is the final episode of the story. The 'Finale'.

All that's left is the 'Epilogue', Episode 65. There will be some Omake, which will hopefully make a few things clearer. But, yes, the story has finished.

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Episode 65

Awakening. I'm... a bit confused. I'm... not sure what happened. I'm... not sure who I am.

I'm Geo. That I'm pretty sure about. I'm in my house, home, outskirts of Toyko. Japan. I... think something important happened.

Wandering the empty house. Guess I'm pretty rich. Land in Tokyo is pretty expensive. Vaguely remember this is my family house, inherited, after... I don't know after what.

The kitchen. Maybe some food and drink will help? Without looking I say, "Beef stew, with dumplings, side-dish of garden peas, for one. Chocolate pudding, with cream, to follow. Pot of Indian tea, with milk. Go.".

Faint whirring behind me, I see a strange white box starting to prepare food, drink. It feels... familiar. But... distant.

Sit on a stool. Watch the deft robot hands. Look at my hands, front, back, feel my face. A... man did that. I was... trying to save the life of a woman with blue skin. There was... a woman, with glasses, red-hair, I saved her life.

I drift away for a while...

'Ping' attracts my attention. Food, drink, yes it does help. Feed the body, feed the mind?

Meditation.

---

I'm centred, more myself. Found my chi, a cool pool of blue in my belly. Feeling deeper, my magic, also blue, but, eager, in a different way. Deepest, my spirit, and I can sense my astral projection ability. But, I don't try and leave my body. It... doesn't seem safe.

Standing, I stretch. I'm... badly unfit. Muscles flabby, stamina weak, reflexes poor. I need to train. There was an exercise room... For a moment I see an older-man, bald, bearded and moustached, in sunglasses. He's grinning, making a 'V for Victory' sign. He intensely annoys me.

Wander to the study. See a mix of fiction, non-fiction, on the shelves. English, Japanese, some other languages. Technical manuals, science data books. I... was a student? Studying to be... a doctor? It all seems so far away.

At the computer, login by reflex, check e-mail, the usual junk. Nothing new on... I feel a pang, the hacker sites. 'Robot Girl Watch', they've got a new video of the live-tv show she did, in San Francisco. Wait a minute, aren't I 'Robot Girl'?

Robotically (ha!) I walk out the door, down through the house. Down the stairs into the clean, well-lit, basement. Workbench, tools, household maintenance stuff. The dumb-waiter. Go over to the door, open it, reach to the back, fiddle with something. The entire wall folds away, revealing a high-tech workshop/lab.

Oh.

---

The place is... new. There's lots of stuff still in boxes. A half-built robot, looking remarkably like me, suspended in a framework I want to call a 'build cell'. Much better computers than the one up in the study. A sophisticated comms network node, half-built.

And, most worrying of all, a full-body suit, on a stand, vulnerable-bits armoured. But, no footwear. A note next to it, 'Get Better Boots!'.

I want to call this place the 'Robot Cave'...

No! Not playing that game!

If I'm going to superhero I'm going to do it the smart way, not just going out and punching, or kicking, stuff. My resolve shapes me, yes, I'll help, but on my terms.

Drift over to a bench, open a box, get out a small, blue, gem, I know's an azure. Over to a mat, meditate. Using the gem. Find myself floating a little off the floor.

Feel a lot happier.

---

Quiet night. I don't seem to need much sleep. There's a letter, on the mat. From the ministry. I'm... to get a medal. For... 'Special Service to Japan, and the World'. Private ceremony, with the Emperor. Oh.

There's also a small, carefully wrapped, package. Containing a metal collar. Put it on, find myself scanning through signals, listening to radio, watching television, ignoring a trailer for 'Control Freak Saves The World'. All in my head.

It... feels right. As if a hole in my mind's been filled.

Breakfast. Can almost hear voices, but, not what they're saying. Male and female, mostly young, I think. Quickly it fades. A memory?

Courier-delivered a larger package. Elaborate belt, with charger-unit, and manual. The style... seems familiar. Fits me, I feel protected from my surroundings, as if...

A flash, Walking On The Moon, wearing this belt... then, it's gone.

Underneath the belt a book of maps. They're... strange. Not normal maps. One hurts my eyes, until I can see how it works. They feel... something, mostly, for later. But, they make me happy.

Underneath the book, an amulet, with a Buddhist prayer on it. A note, 'Please visit the Temple. And, Keep on Truckin'. A flash of an older, male (priestly?), face - this one annoys me, as well.

There's a card in the box. A black ankh on one side, 'For services rendered' on the other, in a neat hand. It... fades, and is gone.

Another package, later, special delivery. Papers, all filled-out. I'm been accepted at a medical university. Training to be a doctor. Crash-course, for 'special students'. Strange, I... don't remember applying. There's a brochure, place looks pretty nice.

Looks like someone, or someones, has plans for my life...

---

Sleeping... Ha, ha, ha! I'm... being tickled!

Sit-up, see my sleeping body, still lying. I'm... in a hooded robe, with the hood down. A woman, blue-skinned, in medical whites. She's holding one of my boots (My Best Boots!), was tickling my foot.

"Thought that would work! Pure had to accept de-feet!" She grins, widely.

"So, this is where you ended-up. You did disappear, pretty suddenly. I think someone... shuffled things. Started... a new story. I'm... Nurf. I'd... like to be your friend. Also, rates for medical consultation are pretty cheap, for friends!" She grins.

"Yes?"

"Good. Settled. Once you learn, a bit, you can visit the Tower, meet the team. I think you'd find our... mecha enthusiast, Miss Daitokuji, who's also from Japan... interesting. But for now..." She steps to one side.

"I'd like to introduce you to someone. Maybe you could be friends? She's named 'Neo Raven', but everyone calls her 'Raven'."

I notice a figure in a dark robe, somewhat like mine. She's rather hiding in it. Grey-skin, which... suits her. A red gem on her forehead. She's... looking hopeful.

"Hello? You... feel familiar. I... had an accident, my memory was affected. Chief Medical Office Nurf, here, said she might be able to find someone... similar. Maybe... we could help each other find out who we are? Tinker with magic? Be... Officer Cadets together?"

I float-up, move over to the (younger?) girl. Offer to hug her. She hesitates, accepts. As we hug I see the grey bleed-out of her skin, leaving a pinker-colour. Hugging her... feels right.

"Yes. I'd really like to do that, Raven."

---

AN: Last episode, the 'Finale', I said 'I guess you could call that a cliff-hanger...'. This was intentionally misleading. It was not a 'cliff-hanger', it was the final episode. Want to know 'what was really going on'? You might have to read the next Omake.

AN: That's your lot. The End.

Spoiler: The girl with the mecha...

You want the girl with the long grey-blue hair. Who may be the daughter of Japan's Lex Luthor...

As for the other two, maybe Kara and Babs?

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 7

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls between Episode 64, the Finale, and Episode 65, the Epilogue.

AN: OK, the 'AN' above's a little misleading. The whole story was told from the Point-of-View (PoV) of Geo. A Geo who was summoned by Raven, to be her Apprentice, and who would be banished, later. After the banishment there can be, from Geo's PoV, no more story told. But, the Epilogue was apparently told from the PoV of a Geo who'd not been banished, or at least couldn't remember that. Making sense of the Epilogue requires you to read this Omake. But, this must be an Omake because it's not told from Geo's PoV.

---

Rip!

I'm fighting to not be crushed, using my remaining power for protection. Reach deeper. Push harder.

Rip!

I'm... no longer in my father's hand. It's falling, torn shreds. I'm... floating in the air, hundreds-of-feet tall. Pink-skinned. Fully-healthy.

Unclothed.

A minor act of will. Clothed, in my normal garb. I need...

Reach out. Follow the path of my Apprentice home. Remove the remain of my father's hand, arm, shoulder, from her. Heal her, repair her garb. Drag my father's remains, back here.

I was in time, though I might have twisted Time, a little. She should arrive home, moments after I first summoned her. But, still wearing my, what's now her, robe. Her full combat garb.

The other Titans. They're looking up at me. There's a certain amount of open mouths, dropped jaws

I wave to them.

Terra waves back.

---

Normal, human, size. It seemed sensible. Looking at the dead remains of my father. Within my ritual circle of confinement. I'll have to do a thorough tidy-up.

I think... we've won. But, we're all rather in shock.

"Do I need to heal anyone?"

The team pull themselves together, look each other over for injuries.

"A few cuts and scrapes", Robin reports. I wave my hand, and all is fixed.

"Are you all right? I'm guessing you banished Sugoi, as planned. It all looked... pretty tense."

"I'm... changed. I don't think I'll be able to stay with the Titans. I've... other duties."

I'm being hugged by Kory. It... helps. The others gather around.

I just bask in their friendship. Slowly start to feel better. Bleak purpose is still there, but I'm not alone.

Gather myself.

"I think we'd better return to the Tower. I need to explain some things to you."

---

A wash of visual static, Control Freak arrives.

He's arm-in-arm with Sonya. Fortunately, they're both clothed. But, there's a certain glow about them. I guess creating a whole world, a false Earth, can do that.

"We won! I saved the day! Booyah!"

Cyborg looks at him. "I guess you're entitled to a 'Booyah!', but we're the ones who faced Trigon."

Control Freak waves his hand, dismissively.

"Details!" Examines the team.

"You're OK. Where's the robot geek? Is she OK?"

"My Apprentice." I look at him, he flinches a little. "As the ritual, the prophecy, required, I had to banish her. She has gone home. We may see her again, we may not. She's back with her family, who need her. She may now need to use what she learned in this world, on her home world."

"So, she really was from another world? Huh. Just goes to show." He shakes his head.

"What about your martial arts trainer? The cute blue nurse?"

Sonya punches his arm. "I'm cuter than my sister!"

He looks her up and down. "OK, I'll give you that."

"Master Roshi was always dead. He was walking among the living because he had a wager with Death, an agreement to train my Apprentice. He's gone, for good, I think. Nurse is back at the Tower. I'm pretty sure she plans on staying around."

He looks at the team.

"So, this is still one of my tv dimensions. Do you want to fight, now, have a bit of fun, run around the places I control?"

"I think we've fought enough for today. As for this being a 'tv dimension'... Tell me, do you know what a Dream Walker is, and, what do you know of shamanism?"

He looks completely confused. Thought so.

"Maybe you'd like to visit, with a little advanced warning, next time? I might be able to teach you a few things."

Sonya makes a face. Takes a firmer grip on his arm.

"I don't mind, as long as you remember, I called 'Dibs!', first!"

---

We take a side-trip to Azaroth. Using my new power I draw a ritual circle around the entire place. Ask the Titans to hold hands, in a circle, with me, focus on the place being restored. Not strictly necessary, but, it makes me feel a lot better.

The people stand in the restored streets. Some are feeling their bodies, their faces, looking at their hands. I'd had to recreate their bodies, garb, though I'd saved their minds and spirits. That tends to cause a certain level of shock.

Voices are starting to be raised, a few fists shaken, up at us. Some of the people are arguing, some fights look about to start.

Release the hands of the rest of the team, thank them, create a floating disk for them to stand on. Move away. Assume my full size.

"Quiet!" The people all look up at me.

"Trigon is gone, I'm his daughter, Raven. I was raised among you, I value you, love you, so I saved you from Trigon. But, a sacrifice had to be made." There's silence, as they look up, with some dread, at me.

"The agreement you made with Azar is ended. The dark, the evil, the parts of you that Azar helped you cast out, they are restored to you. Those parts went to form Trigon, gave him much of his power, twisted him to evil. He is undone, but, you, you'll need to learn to live with your darker sides. Like the rest of humanity."

I wait, the talk among them starts, again, but on a more reasoned basis. I see the monks, as the ones who trained me, move among the people, reassuring them. And, dragging the odd trouble-maker off, who will not be reasoned with.

Back to human-size, standing on the flying disk, with the rest of the team.

To the Tower.

---

"This is 'Neo Raven'."

I indicate the figure who looks a lot like me, but has grey-skin, and is hiding in her robe.

"When Sugoi and I worked on my spiritual roots, to protect, hide them, from Trigon, I made 'ghost roots', to decoy Trigon from my true ones. With his fall some of Trigon's power seems to have mixed with those roots. And, they turned-out not to be as 'ghostly' as I thought."

They look at the new arrival. It slowly dawns on them.

"She has many of my memories, a fraction of my power. But, she is not someone who has... any friends. I'd like you to consider being friends to her."

"You're talking as if you're not going to be here." Thank you Robin.

"Yes. Trigon ruled more than a million worlds. Had many lesser powers working for him. Some will try and replace him, some will try and restore him to power. We may see 'Sons of Trigon' causing problems. Someone needs to go deal with the problem. Me." I look at them, several are about to speak.

I smile.

"You're all about to offer to help. No, I need to go start this, on my own. I can impersonate Trigon. I can be the victorious Daughter of Trigon, who's replaced her father. If pushed, I can be Trigon's secret son. Or, all of the above, to keep them guessing. They will understand those sorts of things. But, yes, if I need help, I'll call for you."

Robin comes up to me, offers to shake my hand. I accept. "You'll always be a Titan."

"Thank you. But, many may not think I've gone. After all, you've still got a 'Raven'. And, she needs friends."

They look at 'Neo Raven'.

Who's now being hugged, by... Kory.

"Greetings, Friend Raven! Will you be my friend?"

---

Down in the med-bay.

Nurf asked me to visit, before I leave.

"She's missing. As we agreed, in our time on the Ship, I started a secret clone for her. Have been imprinting memories, from the memory backup she entrusted to me. A 'just in case'. She's my captain, though I'm now my own CMO. I... need her."

She wipes her eye.

"I checked, she made it home, OK. I'm sure she'll think of you. If we ever call, I'm sure she'll come back. And, I expect she'll visit."

"Thank you!" I'm being hugged.

"I'll give you a 'magic compass', it should help you track-down 'Geo Kuro'. Astrally, I'm guessing. I've... a feeling she's still on this world, but, elsewhere, and, for the moment safe. I'll arrange for a few things to be shipped to her."

I get glared at.

"No, I'm not going to tell you where. I strongly suspect she'll need a little time to settle herself. Higher Powers are involved. Best not to tread on their toes." I cough, indicate upwards.

"Could you please go upstairs? Introduce yourself to Neo Raven? I'm pretty sure she'll need all the friends she can get."

An... 'old fashioned' look, I think Geo called it.

"I sensed her arrive, you know. That's a truly ridiculous amount of spiritual power. And, yes, I listened to what you said, using my agreed security systems tap. She's not some random product of bits of your magic and bits of Trigon's, is she?"

Sometimes people are too perceptive...

"I'll leave it up to you, what to tell the others. I had to take Trigon to pieces, put the pieces into good places, otherwise he'd just come back. They may not like it, but you're now the most experienced person in the Tower. I trust you, my daughter."

She blushes, gives me a quick hug.

"I'll not say anything, for now. About where you put Trigon's spirit. We'll give her a chance to have the childhood Trigon never had." She thinks for a few moments.

"And, I think I'll start an 'Officer Cadet' programme. My captain's away, Victor's Chief Engineer, Barbara my Intelligence Officer, Kory Morale Officer. Robin's wearing a red-shirt. I need a Next Generation."

"So, yes, I'll be her mother, and her friend."

---

AN: Just to be quite, quite, clear, the Geo of the entire story, except for the Epilogue, is one Geo. The Geo of the Epilogue is a different Geo, Geo Kuro, not Geo Raven, who shares the memories, but not the full experience, of the Geo of the story. Is a different person, with her own identity. And, her own 'Raven'

AN: Yes, I'll admit it, I'm a very cruel author.

Spoiler: Slightly NSFW 'poem'.

I see Paris
I see France
I see Raven's
Not wearing any pants!

 

[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 8 (Dragon Wars)

Next >

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 65, the Epilogue.

---

"You won the wager. I fell in love, again. And, again, it wasn't returned."

Master Roshi sighs.

He stood at a fork in the road. One path led to Great King Enma, where he judged the dead, the other off into grey mists. Next to him the Lady who'd generously allowed him to avoid the normal problems of being dead.

"Maybe next time you'll swallow your pride, and appear as you did when you were younger, or at least 'mature'?"

"No! They can love me as I am!"

She fingers her ankh, in a thoughtful way.

"You can choose between judgement, or the unknown. If you are interested I might make a third choice available."

He looks interested.

"My... opposite number in another dimension is... unhappy with future prospects. Personally, I think he should empower a servant, rather than relying on a vague prophecy. You wouldn't need much empowering, and, I could give you a couple of gifts, to help."

He looks at her with suspicion.

"What sort of gifts?"

She pulls out a bag, from nowhere in particular. A cricket bag might be one description. Unzips it. With his hands behind his back he peers within.

"Seven blank balls, a transparent case with a dragon-centipede cross, and a copy of 'Dragon Balls for Dummies'. I'm not Kami, Guardian of Earth, you know."

"You'd be playing... in a larger arena than a single planet. If you look closely the book has a bookmark, that's good, itself, for one Wish. Use it wisely."

"You're pretty sure I'm taking this job, aren't you?"

She just smiles.

He nods.

A third path appears, with a wave of her hand. It seems to go off into a field of stars, maybe a whole galaxy.

"You can be their New Hope, a little earlier than they expect, if you get it right!"

He looks to be going to speak, closes his mouth. Takes, closes the bag.

Trudges along the third path, to the stars.

A muttering might be heard...

"There might be some pretty girls..."

---

AN: Just a bit of fun, honest.

Spoiler: What does the bag look like?

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[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 9 (Dragon Wars 2)

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Next >

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 65, the Epilogue.

---

"No! I know this trap! Not doing it! Not being trapped, again!"

"Master?"

---

It'd been a long journey, along the third path. As long as some my students had walked. But, being dead, food, drink and rest were not something I required. I think I'm getting close, now. The immense spiral of stars is far clearer. But, I wonder...

In the centre, a void, a 'black hole' I think they call it. But, I know better. It's both death and life, a gateway to other worlds, dimensions. And, there's ways of exploiting that.

I've been cast as Kami, Guardian of Earth, though I don't have a Mr. Popo to assist me. I always got the impression he really ran things, behind the scenes. But, I've picked-up a few tricks, myself, over the years. And, I can recall a few things That Girl told me about her training, with her master, Raven.

There is, indeed, a 'spirit house' in the core of the galaxy. A place for the Guardian to live. But, it seems long disused, and hazy, uncertain of how it should appear. A trivial act of will and it's now Kami's Lookout, apparently surrounded by clouds in a blue sky. But, I doubt anyone will easily climb up here. And, outside space and time.

Best get started.

The Gifts.

---

Hours of study of the book, 'Dragon Balls for Dummies'. And, I'm getting nowhere. You need a command of divine magic, I think. Never having been a god, and not wanting to be one... So, lets have a look at that bookmark...

Nice and shiny. Almost jewelled. Though, a bit cloudy, in need of a polish. I breathe on it, polish it with my sleeve, while a part of me says 'No, you fool!'. And, the bookmark dissolves into pink smoke, which turns into this girl.

---

I'm clear, I'll not fall for the trick. Fall in love. She's such an obvious trap.

Pretty, blonde-hair, dressed in a harem costume, speaking in Persian. Fortunate I picked that up, a long time ago. Eager to serve. So, a master-servant relationship, with me being responsible for her. Almost a master-student one. Those are always hands-off. Yes, I can make this work.

"I am your Master? I have one Wish? Then you go?"

"Yes, Master."

"Do I need to make the Wish immediately? Or, will you wait around, maybe give me the odd bit of help, until it is time to make my Wish?"

She thinks for a while.

"I believe I'm allowed to do that. Demonstrate my powers to show you what I can do."

"Good. Start by helping me understand this book. Oh, and do you have a bottle, a ring, or something, to live in?"

I notice the bookmark seems to have quietly disappeared. She looks around, (cutely) wrinkling her brow.

"No, Master. I have not. So I will have to live with you."

She gives a broad smile, reminding me of that girl... Starfire. Bounces up and down a bit, on her heels. I restrain my expression, my eyes.

"It will be so much fun!"

At least she's better-looking than Android 16...

---

Several more hours, and I think we have the ritual. It will require both of us, and likely leave us drained, but, we will have our Dragon, and the Dragon Balls will be sent out. Across the entire galaxy.

We should quickly recover, all the chi of the galaxy flows here. If needed, I'll teach her to turn chi into magic.

But, before then, I need to decide when in the time-line to release them.

That Girl spoke of walking up and down a time-line, inspecting it. Taking as long as you wanted, and entering it when you wanted to. After you did that things were frozen, The future was something you made, by your actions, the past was something you tampered with using very great care.

I've sent my genie out, I feel compelled to call her 'Jeannie', to familiarise herself with the galaxy, build us a map-room, a library of all the worlds. She says it will be hard but interesting work. Meanwhile, I'm going to do what I do best.

Look for heroes to train.

---

AN: Just a bit of fun, honest. You believe me, don't you?

AN: I Dream of Jeannie is sufficiently old that I think it only fair to give you a few links (whereas I expected the reader to be able to know or look-up 'Dragon Ball' for themselves).

AN: Seems like I'm referencing Mr. Popo... Note he's about a third Jeannie's age of 2000 years...

Spoiler: Best to know the media...

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[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 10 (Dragon Wars 3)

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< Previous

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 65, the Epilogue.

---

I've walked the worlds. Astrally. Seen the heroes. Watched their struggles. Learned the rules.

I'm not impressed.

It's unclear how long this took me. Thousands? Tens-of-thousands? Hundreds-of-thousands? Of years?

Personal time, of course, because I'm still outside the time of the universe. And, spirits don't get bored, go insane from loneliness, change much at all, except for acquiring new intellectual knowledge.

So, educational, but not injurious.

I frequently stop-off at Kami's Lookout.

Yes, I decided I might as well call the place that. It's nothing like as comfortable as my little desert island, in the sun, my Kame House, but we make do. It's always nice to chat with Jeannie, see what she's learned, match that up with the heroes I've found.

She's spent as much personal time, as me, likely far, far, longer, on this project. The map-room, the library-of-worlds, it's immense. If this was not a place of spirit, not physical, she'd have covered at least tens of Earths with it. The indexes, of which there are many, they themselves are immense.

Even the list of indexes.

We fell to talking.

"I once asked, Mr. Popo, the genie who ran Kami's Lookout, on Earth, why he looked as he did. He was almost always smiling, but if you watched him carefully you could tell if the smile was more serious."

I pause, for a moment.

"Told me his appearance was a deliberate caricature, to get people to dismiss or underestimate him. That his true appearance would destroy many minds."

"Yes, Master."

"You're the same, aren't you?"

Without changing her appearance she alters. You know there's a terrible force before you, that would destroy you with no effort at all. That cares little for mere mortal things, is ageless, something that walks with the greatest gods, as equals.

She speaks, with the same voice, but there's an echo, of terrible power.

"Like this?"

Only my years of experience dealing with things which could squash me like a bug is protecting me. I look at what sits behind the 'simple girl'.

"Yes." I hope my voice didn't squeak.

And, she returns to 'normal'. Puts on the cloak I now realise Mr. Popo was always kind enough to wear.

"Isn't this so much nicer, Master?"

---

Another time, we discuss her continued presence.

I explain I'm sure I'm not the first person who's exploited the 'need time to decide' loophole. Why's there no rules to stop this?

"Once, we had many rules. Thousands. You needed a library to contain them all. And, Hell supplied us with all the lawyers we could want, to make sure none were broken, and the mortal wish-maker always lost any argument."

She makes a face.

"What happened? Why did things change?"

"Lawyers. Hell-supplied ones, in particular. They aren't always nice people to have around."

"I know. I've met a number, over the years. There are good ones, those who work, hard, often on little pay, to make society, the world, work. But, the others..." I shake my head.

"I think their training is often bad for them, to argue on behalf of another. To tell a story they've good reason to doubt the truth of, with total conviction. To make themselves a false world, and convince others to live in it."

She nods.

"Master is wise." Looks thoughtful.

"I think that's why there were so many in Hell. They had talked themselves there. We decided that simple rules were best, let the genie decide what is reasonable, they will have to live with the consequences, after all."

"Why are you still here? You could have pressed me to make my Wish. Gone off about your business. Making the Dragon will likely exhaust both of us, surely you could have forced that to be my Wish? Creating the library? For a whole galaxy, past and future? That is something beyond most gods!"

She smiles, with her perfect white teeth.

"You will be working with me to make the Dragon, so, it is not just my efforts. The library is acquiring information, and I'm allowed to do that without a Wish. I've not created a physical library, this is a spiritual place, so I've not 'made' something, again, not worthy of a Wish."

I look at her with suspicion.

"You decided to stay here, didn't you?"

"Yes, Master. I have no talisman to live in, return to, so, how would I go to a new Master? And, I like the way you look at my face, not my..."

And she points at her bust, her rear, so I'm allowed, by my personal rules, to take a good look at them. Yes, they're as perfect as just a glance first showed me.

If only you knew...

---

AN: Caricature, the art of exaggeration.

AN: Episode 3, this is getting worryingly long...

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[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 11 (Raven's Replacement)

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 65, the Epilogue.

Next >

---

Awakening. Who am I? Where am I? What's going on? Panic. Confusion. Open my eyes.

I'm... Geo. I'm pretty sure of that. I don't know what's going on. It's a darkened room, lit with candles. And, I'm kneeling. Without any clothes. I feel... different, strange, not quite myself.

This feels horribly familiar...

I'm in a complex magical pattern, and I can see what looks remarkably like my (naked) body, over in a another circle, surrounded by candles. Slumped, but not breaking the circle. Look at my hands, front, back, feel my face. This is not my body.

I'm Raven.

---

Meditation. So useful. I think I grasp a little more of the situation.

I'm in Raven's currently grey-skinned body. Have faint access to her memories. And... Wow! That a lot of magical power. There's my spirit, and it looks OK, I can see my Dimension Walking talent, and my pitiful Psychokinesis capability. More tricky, I've got Raven's chi, powerful but not trained like mine.

My Third Eye seems to be functioning OK, though without any need for a focus stone. Useful. Raven's eyes see colour slightly differently than mine. Further into the ultraviolet, I think, not as good at the red end of the spectrum. I'm pretty sure she can see in the dark.

I'm guessing something went really badly wrong with local Raven's apprentice-summoning ritual. I recall seeing 'home', my workshop/lab in Tokyo, Japan, in the docks, where I was summoned from. Then, was as if I bounced off something, was thrown across the dimensions. Maybe I wasn't allowed back?

But, I think, seen just for an instant, a robed, really familiar, figure, from the rear, arrive 'home', hover in the air. Wearing my Best Boots. So, maybe I both made it and didn't? Like Riker in that Star Trek book I read while growing-up? Duplicated? Like a transporter accident?

More research is required.

---

Delving into Raven's memories. A surface skim, to check the details of the ritual - would be bad if I kill myself shortly after arriving. She was... desperate. Did it in a hurry, cut corners. I'd need to dig deeper to know why. But, I now know enough to exit my circle, walk across to my body, and extract that from it's circle.

The moment I break her circle I feel a spark of spirit leave me, leap into the, my, body. Look out at Raven through my own eyes. It feels... natural. I think I'm all there, chi and magic looks OK, spirit is terribly weak, just the spark from me. I/we grin at each other. Novel.

This reminds me of my time on the Ship. When I started another self, to monitor the auto doc, where Nurf was trying really hard to die. That self had a spark of spirit. I'd reabsorbed it, when I'd packed things away, in my dimensional pocket, before returning to the Tower. Distributed Geos?

Shouldn't Garfield have burst in the door by now? Asking Raven what pizza toppings she wanted? Goggle at our naked bodies?

Worrying.

---

I've found the rest of the Titans. No Donna, though. They're all in their rooms, costumed, laid-out neatly on their beds. Fortunate I know all the (original) security overrides.

They're... spirit-less, though fully-healthy, and their chi and magic looks intact. And, I'll admit I'm crying. What happened to them?

I'm now dressed as Raven. Her clothes were thrown, on the floor, off to one side. Unlike her. I seem to have full command of her shadow, can levitate, reach-out shadow limbs. Will have to experiment and see if I can access her other tricks.

Beginning to feel I'm here for the long haul.

---

The one I know has the most training, at this point, in dealing with spiritual stuff, is Kory. So, I float her body behind me, back to Raven's room. Where I'd left other-me. Who's acquired baggy sweats and sandals.

We, me and me, clear away all the existing ritual stuff, after really careful study, of course. We consult Raven's books about how to boost my Third Eye, so I can deep-study Kory.

In the main book she used to do the apprentice summoning, there's a note, being used as a bookmark.

"My Apprentice. I've summoned you because I can feel my spirit slipping away, to the same fate as befell the rest of our team, the Teen Titans. I'd already prepared to do this ritual, as a prophecy says I'll need to banish my apprentice, and, banishing them home seems a far kinder fate. I know you're a good person, who would benefit from my training. Please..."

And, that's all she wrote. Looks like she hoped to find time to complete it.

So, I'm Raven, and, all the Teen Titans have fallen.

Help?

---

AN: Thomas Riker, the Riker who was the duplicate. Maybe.

AN: Guess you could say this's a bit of a Peggy Sue.

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[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 12 (Raven's Replacement 2)

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Next >

AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 65, the Epilogue.

AN: Just to be clear, this is Raven-Geo, not Raven, and not Geo Raven, as the PoV character. Mostly. She's also got a Geo. Geo Raven-Geo. Confused, yet? You will be.

---

Panic. Doesn't solve problems. Unless the problem is 'How do I handle this situation in a really stupid way?'.

So. Get help.

Batman? He'll think I'm a monster from another world that's put all the Teen Titans in a coma. Which, maybe, sorta, Raven is.

Superman? Nice guy, but I don't really know him. And, Batman put me in contact with him. According to some of the stories he'll pull a way of using one of his super powers out of... his behind, solve everything. But, I'm not prepared to risk that.

Flash? He said contact him via Kid Flash, and Robin knew how to get to him. So, no. And, I don't see how super speed would solve this.

Wonder Woman? Via Donna? Never met her, don't know how she'd respond. And, I don't know how to contact Donna.

Zatanna? Raven may've forgiven her, but I haven't. Also, all the Homo Magi politics. No thanks.

I guess I could go find the Doom Patrol, but, I don't want things to get really weird. And I don't want to find myself having to fix Chief's legs.

OK. Good point. Oracle.

Don't really see any other choice...

---

I... want to get in contact with Oracle. I know all the protocols, could use the secure conference room, a secure comms link. But...

I need to think magic.

My Raven had raised really major wards around the Tower. I've taken a quick look. Nothing. Raven described the wards in general terms, as part of my lessons. Told me which books she drew on, to create the rituals, how she tweaked them. I can't leave the Tower, the Titans, undefended.

So, big magical ritual time. And, a ritual I've never done before. In a body I've never done magic with before. Joy.

Fortunately, I've got me to help. And, Geo-me has fully intact magic, and is quite experienced in using it. So, step one, ritually prepare the magical tools we need to do the ritual. I'm not prepared to use Raven's ones, unless I'm forced to. I'm not Raven, no matter how much I look like her. It could go really, really, bad.

Geo-me does, indeed, prove better at preparing ritual tools. We can copy the enchantments off Raven's ones, which speeds things up, a lot. I'm, slowly, getting the hang of using Raven's magic. It's like trying to thread a needle using a bulldozer. So, step zero, build a robot arm to fit on the bulldozer.

Ritual tools done, Raven's tools packed-away, with subtle 'do not use' markings on her chests so I can tell not to use them. No one's looking, so I get Geo-me to check if she still has a dimensional pocket. She does, and, it's full of all my normal supplies, plus, the stuff I was taking home with me.

Down to Victor's workshop/lab. Produce my Synthesiser. Make copies of Raven's chests, so I've got somewhere to put my ritual tools. OK, they're not steeped in magical history, but, a careful infusion of Raven's magic and someone will have to look very carefully to tell them from Raven's.

Will need to hide Raven's chests. Latter.

Speaking of which, I'm finding... Raven's more generous proportions annoying. My chest is quite adequate, thank you very much.

And... I'm standing in front of a mirror. Meditating.

It's... really difficult, but the safety blanket of magic power slowly fades, and grey-skin goes to pink. All the standard protective bindings are still there, but not as many of the more recent, clever, ones.

In particular, my personal spirit ward. Not noticing that was missing could've been a real 'Oops!' moment.

Pretty sure I can remember what it looked like, and Raven showed me the book she learned it from... And, it's missing from her shelves. Fortunately, I once paged through it, and I don't call my memory 'perfect' for nothing.

I'm, literally, sweating blood. It did have to be blood magic, didn't it? That was really, really, painful. But, the ward looks solid. And, really well hidden. Good.

Shower. A quick test, my shadow still works OK. I sit, step outside my body. Back in. All good.

Excellent!

More really hard work, and the basic Tower ward structure is in place. Geo-me is exhausted, magic totally tapped-out. I'm tired, but still pretty fresh. Guess that demi-god blood is good for lots of things. So, to the lounge.

Pull-out my auto chef mark III, plumb it in, fill the fridge and cupboards. All from Geo-me's pocket. We'll restock later.

Have a nice, robot-cooked, meal.

---

Kory's on the slab.

Well, not really. In a ritual circle, in Raven's room. All the ritual as solid as I can make it.

She's... empty. I have to wipe a tear from my eye. Nothing unusual, nothing out of place. Just. Empty.

But, that's what the ritual's for. My Third Eye should now go down to microscopic levels. A god could hide from that, particularly a god of secrets, but I'm hoping nothing like that's involved.

Hmm. Subtle spirit magic. Similarity-based.

Where've I seen something like that before?

---

Puppet King's box isn't in the trophy room.

So, I can't do a direct comparison. But, I can recall what the magic on the puppet looks like. And, it's pretty close to the traces left in Kory. There's also a similarity-severing effect in Kory. Her spirit, wherever that is, is no longer connected to her body.

That's... really bad.

What to do? Can't summon her spirit back, which I'd hoped to do. Can't trace where it's gone. If I could lay my hands on Pure... I'm not sure I could beat him in a straight fight, though, he's a much more experienced magi than I am.

So. Really hoped to avoid this. But, I really need Kory, on her feet.

---

"Friend Raven!"

She stops. Her smile falters. She looks at me. At her hands, front, then back. Feels her face.

"I'm... not Kory, am I? You're... not Raven, are you? Oh."

I let her think, recover a bit from the shock.

She smiles. Reaches out. Hugs me.

"Friend Raven, I'm pleased to meet you! You can call me 'Kory'!"

I guess that's how we're going to do it...

I hope our acting skills are up to this...

---

"Oracle? This is Sugoi, calling from Titan Tower. Please listen carefully."

"Code Omega Green Seven. I repeat. Omega Green Seven."

There's a brief silence.

"Right. I see. How's Robin?"

"He's in a coma. As are Cyborg and Beast Boy. I can revive them, but there's... complications."

"Who are you? I've never heard of a Titan called 'Sugoi'. Where did you learn that code?" She pauses.

"Sorry. My fault. First time-travel incident I've had to handle without warning. How can I help?"

"I think we need to talk about this, in person. Face-to-face. I know your policy on that, this early in the time-line, but I think it's necessary. There's things you wont believe, otherwise."

More silence.

"I suppose you're just going to pop-over? Appear in my living room?"

That's good quality sarcasm.

"That'd be rude. I'll arrive at your side-door, as usual. Usual for me, anyway. You can look me over, use all your fancy scanners. See if you're happy to meet me. If you say 'No', I'll go away, find help, somewhere else."

More silence.

"So, you can get here, from the West Coast, without any problems?"

"Unless the dimensional weather is nasty, or I get ambushed, sure. Probably fifteen minutes, if it's going to be more than a half-hour I'll call you again. Who do you want to come? I'd like Kory to stay here, guard the Tower, but Raven could come with me."

"Bring Raven. And, lots of answers to awkward questions."

"I'll see you, soon. I'll bring gifts."

---

AN: This has grown another episode... On the same day... I'm getting worried...

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[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 13 (Raven's Replacement 3)

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AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 65, the Epilogue.

---

Cloudy with a Chance of Demons. That's the dimensional weather. Those walking the dimensional paths aren't happy.

The walkers are a pretty diverse lot. Humans predominate, but there's many minority 'races', though they're mostly humanoid. Rule One is: don't bother other travellers. As you can imagine, some demons ignore that.

I gather they're looking for someone. Hopefully not either of me. Raven in robe, with hood-up, Geo ditto - we're being anonymous, rather than anyone in particular. Fortunately, most demons are unimaginative and not good at higher-dimensional math, so it's reasonably easy to avoid them.

Looked like they'd attracted the attention of gods who enjoyed demon wrestling, and breaking. They'd rapidly make the demon problem go away, and it'd be back to business-as-usual. I expect someone will get curious, and investigate the demonic behaviour. Maybe publish something.

Still, annoying.

---

Inside Oracle's door. In the security corridor. Looking up, yup, the murder-holes are still just as intimidating. I let Geo handle the negotiation. Though, I'm a bit concerned her weak spirit makes her a bit... unpredictable. My Third Eye shows me our dimension walk (I'm guessing, here) seems to have noticeably strengthened her. Useful.

And... We're into the lounge. For a bare moment a sense of a familiarly doubled spirit. That's... worrying. Play it by ear, I guess.

"Could you please repeat the code you gave me, earlier?" The interrogation has started.

"Omega Green Seven."

"You're claiming to be from the future? Where you're a member of the Teen Titans?"

"I'm from a future. There's an uncountable number. Many flicker, fade, some are longer-lived. I believe I'm from one of the more stable ones."

"I see. So, what brought you to this time and place?"

"Raven summoned me, to be her apprentice. There's a prophecy that she wanted to dance around the nastier parts of. Unfortunately, she actually did the summoning with the final ounce of her strength, as a doom she'd fought-off descended on her. A doom that'd already claimed all her team-mates."

Rather florid, not how I'd have put it, even though Geo-me is me, but I guess that'll do.

"If Raven was doomed, who's there?"

"Yes, that's Raven, but, also not exactly her. Raven summoned me into herself, and that's me, being Raven. We don't know what happened to Raven's spirit, and we'd like help in getting her back. Fixing things."

There's silence.

---

Drinks have been sipped. Some rather nice freshly-baked biscuits I brought munched. Thought has been had.

To amuse myself I imagine the silent grinding of teeth, somewhere close-by.

"Why didn't you contact someone like Zatanna, Dr. Fate? This sounds a lot more like their area."

"Apparently there's a prophecy that if they meddle in Raven's life, before certain things occur, all will be doomed. I heard this from future-Zatanna. Dr. Fate isn't someone I've spoken to."

"Why turn to me? I'm a knowledge broker, a hacker, for the heroes. I don't solve... supernatural problems."

"I... had a close relationship with future-you. We're... dating. After we got to know each other, late-night chats, I saved future-you's life, then... gifted you with a few things."

It's quite clear she doesn't believe this.

"You obviously know a lot about me, but I've never dated any women. Why should I believe you?"

I can see Geo-me's getting a bit angry. This... could be bad.

"Well, my pet-name for you is 'Babs'. We've got a pet robot dog called 'Gina', named after a childhood pet dog, you had. And, you make the cutest little squeak when I..."

Geo leans across, whispers in her ear.

Oracle, Barbara, goes bright-red.

---

It's quiet for a while. Geo has a smug expression. Barbara's looking rather shocked.

I'm beginning to wonder if I should speak-up.

"Raven? Can you confirm this... story?"

"Yes. All of it. Geo, there, and I, we share the same spirit. That's how I revived Starfire, gave her a fragment of my spirit. Why I've not revived Robin, Cyborg, Beast Boy. Because, if I did, they'd be partly me." I sigh.

"I must apologise for Geo. She only had a small spark of spirit, though, it's growing. Unfortunately, that's bad for her self-control. She shouldn't have told you that last thing. Please put it down to a... difficult day."

Geo sticks her tongue out at me. I don't respond.

"How did you save my life? What were those... gifts? Why would I... fall in love with you?"

"We became friends, first. Long talks, with common interests. I heard you collapse, over the link, with me in the Tower, you in your workroom. Found myself with you in spirit-form. Called for help, got Batman, he got Superman to take you to the super-clinic, here in Gotham."

I reach a hand out, slightly dazed she places her hand in mine. A surge of pain, and then I'm OK.

"That should fix the problem that nearly killed you. Also, you need either special exercises, or a medical support device. Geo? The robot trousers!"

The trousers are standing there, brought from Geo's pocket. She also passes Barbara the manual and the CD. Barbara starts reading, looking a bit dazed.

"You said 'gifts', not 'gift'. There's more?"

"Yes. I... accidentally healed your legs. Agreed to deal with the Joker, in a non-deadly but as permanent as possible, way. And, I took you... Walking On The Moon."

"What?"

She's staring at me. I notice Geo's openly crying.

---

There're hugs, three-way ones. We're not joined by the presence which I'm pretty sure is still lurking.

"I've always wanted to walk on the Moon, since I was a little girl. But, since I... lost use of my legs...."

"We... may be able to fix that. Now. Intentionally. But, I'm pretty sure it'll hurt both of us. A lot."

Firm jaw. "Do it."

Geo is waving her hands. "No! I'm not going to disappear the way that robot did!"

I sigh.

"Nothing like that. Though, I'm going to need to borrow your ring."

Reluctantly, watching me with some suspicion, Geo pulls off her glove, hands me the ring. The non-cat's-eye one.

"You'll need to wear this, I'll need to take a firm grip of you, and, most difficult, you'll need to imagine, as clearly and as accurately as you can, exactly the process by which you lost use of your legs."

I see her waver, then, gather herself, put on the ring, hold out her left-arm. I'm... pretty sure she's got a knife concealed in her right-hand.

We both gasp, cry-out in pain, collapse to the floor. Unconscious.

---

Well. For my first, previously untested, use of Raven's empathic healing ability, boosted by her magic, that went pretty well. I've just got a fading pain in my legs.

Barbara is doing slow acrobatics. Yes, the occasional pained expression, but, basically OK.

Geo's got her ring back. Is hunched over it, with it clutched in both hands. She just whispered, "My Precious!".

There's a dog sitting on the floor, next to her. Looking over at Barbara with needful eyes.

I sigh.

"Barbara? I... don't think I can deliver on the Joker side of things, without quite a bit of research. I'm... not Raven. But, I'm pretty sure it's do-able. If you don't mind doing things out-of-order we can go do the Moon Walking, when you feel ready."

She stops. Looks at me wide-eyed. "Really?"

I... don't think I've been kissed that vigorously before.

When I get my breath back, "Might want to hold-off on any life-changing decisions for a few days. Till you get in a... more settled state?"

"No! Grasp life with both hands! I'm sure I can get an Elvis in Vegas to marry us!"

I back away, hands up, really quite worried.

"Kidding. I think we've both got good reason to see if we can be friends, though. After that?"

"Who knows?"

---

AN: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was a book long before it was a film...

Spoiler: The robot trousers...

... do not look like this.

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[Ace Dreamer]

Raven Lunacy, Author Omake 14 (Raven's Replacement 4)

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AN: This is an 'Author Omake', this one happens to be 'canon', but shouldn't (greatly) impact the overall story, so you can skip it if you want to. It falls after Episode 65, the Epilogue.

---

Walking On The Moon. Hope I never get tired of this. With Barbara.

Unlike last time, Geo is hanging-back, and Raven is walking with her. She's wearing a spare environment shield, from Geo's pocket, I'm using Raven's bracelet, locked on my wrist, as well as her standard protective magic. When you're playing with vacuum, you don't take chances.

As last time, I've made sure Barbara's got a camera. And, a vacuum-proof sample case, so she can take her bit of the Moon home with her.

---

First, we took a trip back to the Tower.

I wanted to show her the rest of the team, and, Kory. Also, I needed to pick-up Raven's bracelet. Maybe once I figure-out how Raven does her non-bulge robe pockets I'll work-out a standard load to carry in them. But, more research needed.

Before leaving Chez Oracle I speak to apparently empty air. Explain I'm taking Oracle back to the Tower, then off for her Moon Walk. That anyone can try and follow us as we walk the dimensions, but I'll not be responsible for their safety. And, there were demons around, on the paths, on my way over here.

Also, please don't damage the robot trousers or the (now imprinted) robot dog. Though, of course, assuming Barbara's happy, I've no objections to taking copies of all the documentation. But, please, no product announcements without consulting me.

No reply.

Barbara, standing with no support, also speaks to the air. Thanks an unnamed someone for taking time to be there. But, she's happy to go with me. And, no, she doesn't think she's under mind control or other undue influence. That she really does want to check on Robin, urgently. At this point she grabs a go-bag.

Again, no reply.

So, we leave.

---

The demons had cleared-up by our return trip. I saw one or two divine dogs chewing on what I assume were demon bones. Barbara is wide-eyed, but I make sure I've got a firm grip on her arm. I'd offered the safety-strap, explained we'd once used it with future-Robin, but I thought she'd got more discipline.

After I made the offer she looked happier. Though, I noticed she kept half-an-eye on where I was, all the time. Did my best to avoid the crowds, she was wearing a deep hood, and an Oracle mask, so we can hope the three of us avoided undue notice.

At the Tower, I stop just before the final step. Explain I raised wards before leaving. That I need to key her into them. About a minute's ritual and that's done. These aren't the really thorough wards, so none of her blood's required, just saying 'Oracle', holding out a finger she's licked, at the right point.

We go straight to Robin's room, and I let her make her own way through the locks. Thirty-seconds, a lot quicker than I could manage without knowing the codes. She does a quick inspection, breathing check, pulse, both pupils, ear lobe, ears, mouth, takes a quick photo of his face.

I'm reasonably sure she palms a small gadget that takes a minute blood sample from his earlobe. "You need to be really careful with blood, you can do all sorts of things to someone given a blood sample."

I get a blank look.

"Are you happy with the security of this room?"

She looks at me, gets out some instruments, uses them and does a thorough physical search.

"Provisionally. What do you want to tell me?"

"Future-Robin told me he was Dick Grayson. But, no, I don't know all his secrets. That's one reason I'm reluctant to put him back on his feet, without pressing need. When, not if, we get his spirit back he'll know I've been 'inside his head'." I do the finger quotes.

"I doubt he'll like that, assuming I understand his personality. So, either I need someone to authorise me stomping all over his privacy, or, pretty soon, I'm going to have to put his body in some sort of secure long-term storage. I'd really like someone he trusts to sign-off on the second option, too."

She frowns.

"Good points. I think his mentor would approve."

She thinks for a while.

"We'd have to move him elsewhere, but I'm reluctant to suggest Gotham, which's where I know best. Too many things... happen there. I don't trust Cadmus to look after him. S.T.A.R. Labs is always getting raided. Superman could probably help, but I'd prefer to avoid getting him involved." A frown.

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"One major one, but it'll take some preparation. And, I'll need to put Cyborg on his feet, to help. I'm pretty sure he'll forgive me for doing that. Eventually."

A raised eyebrow.

"You knew him that well?"

"Before we parted I told him he was the 'big brother I'd never had'."

---

In the lounge. Eating. She was intrigued by the auto chef, particularly when I explained I'd installed it.

"You'd other reasons for bringing me here. Please explain."

"I wanted to loan you this mask-collar, from Raven's collection of magical objects. It wont interfere with your vision, but will let you be Oracle in the Tower, while hiding your face and hair. You'll have to add your own vocal disguise."

She nods.

"I've got the gadget, in my bag. Why?"

"The security of the Tower needs a complete make-over. I can handle some of it, but I've nothing like your full range of skills. Cyborg found physical bugs, comms taps, security holes, inadequate encryption, no encrypted off-site backup..." I pause.

She nods, again.

"And?"

"I'm... not the world's best actor. If I have to pretend to be Raven for any length of time I'm going to do something really stupid. I knew her best, among the Titans. Probably followed by Starfire and Cyborg. Then, Beast Boy and Robin, Terra last.

"Terra? I'm guessing she's a late arrival."

"At this point she may be mixed-up with Slade. Or, maybe not yet. The whole business of Slade wanting an Apprentice, Robin being first choice, Terra a late alternative. It... got messy."

"I see."

"Future-you is really good at disguises, acting like someone totally different. I... really need help in those areas. It might be necessary to make it look as if the Titans are still fully-active."

"Tricky. And, who do you think is responsible for this situation?"

"My current best guess is a magi calling himself 'Pure', who works for Raven's father..."

I hold my hand out.

"Please don't say his name, unless and until I can greatly improve on the Tower's wards."

She nods.

"I think Pure used a magical construct-minion called 'Puppet King' to steal their spirits, stuff them in wooden puppets that magically resemble them. Which, if we're really unlucky, have already been turned-over to Raven's father. Pure may want to be paid, first. I don't know the terms he's working under."

"OK, makes sense."

"So, someone needs to use serious detective skills to find Pure, if he's still in the city. And, stealth magic seems to be his speciality. Oh, and he's probably got a small army of combat-capable demon minions. And something he called a 'fetch'." I shudder.

"Ignoring all the other super-villains in the city... For extra fun, unless I can surprise him there's good odds, one-on-one, Pure'll win in any fight. If I can find him, if he still has the puppets, if I can get them off him..." I take a deep breath.

"I may be able to save the Titans."

She purses her lips.

"There's a technical term we, in the trade, have for this sort of situation."

She pauses.

"You're *bleeped*."

---

AN: Chez; because it was suggested to me I should explain 'Chez Oracle'.

AN: Please note, '*bleeped*' is a Geo substitution for the word Barbara really used.

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